Soul of a Duelist
by The Walking Paradox
Summary: Within a stack of forty cards rests a duelist's aresnal. Handpicked to match the person that is using it. Their deck, a reflection of their soul. Let me tell you the story of one man's burning soul as he begins to understand the scope of his destiny.
1. Turn 1: Once More and with Feeling!

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 1: Once More, and With Feeling!**

_This is a story. What kind of story? I don't know maybe journal is more accurate than story. But I do know that this is a story of many things, of hardship and agony, of happiness and joy, of heroes that will not otherwise be known without this story. But as such this is still only a story, you have not lived the events that I will speak of and therefore cannot fully understand what it felt like and what it all really meant._

_I am no writer, I am merely a storyteller. I wish only to make sure that the world knows of what has happened, know so that its people will be able to properly immortalize those that this tale speaks of. However, to tell you everything as it happened would be asking you to dismiss my story as nothing but fantasy. So I will turn these events into something that you will all understand. You may ask then what the truth is and what the lies are. But it wouldn't matter if I told you; the only thing that matters is if you understand__ the things I am saying to you._

_However, as it is you that must listen to me I will allow you to wonder one thing fre__ely. You may ask who I am then. Well that is an interesting answer, one that-_

For a moment the pen stopped moving. Then it was moved away from the notebook's pages and ultimately upwards. The hand that held the instrument paused for awhile, shook the pen around furiously and then ultimately let it drop back onto the notebook page where it rolled from side to side for a moment and then came to a rest.

"This won't do." The frustrated voice of a young male muttered to himself. The voice was a quiet one that had a rough feeling to it, possibly from the lack of any emotion when the man spoke.

The would-be writer sat on a worn out green park bench with his legs folded and an open notebook on his lap. The youth was at most just entering his twenties; however the man did not keep very good care of his appearance and had a heavy amount of stubble that simply did not grow thick enough to become a beard. It made him look much older than he really was. He had untidy ebon black hair that had grown out much faster in the front than at the back; however it was able to reach shoulder length. The hair at the front seemed to have a tendency to curve to one side as it fell, covering the man's right eye and just leaving his right burgundy eye for sight. His clothing was tattered and the navy blue of the trenchcoat the man wore had nearly faded away in favor for grey in some areas. Unlike many articles of clothing by the same name it was a proper trenchcoat that was originally meant for businessmen to wear in cold weather, fitting as it was getting cooler as the seasons began to shift from autumn to winter.

The man murmured something incoherent under his breath and began to slowly scratch the back of his head but ultimately let out a defeated sigh and let his head fall slack, simply slumping over in his seat. To try and rekindle some form of inspiration he looked around at the scenery for ideas. Unfortunately the park was not very scenic. It was mostly wide open space with paved paths and the occasional tree, but mostly wide open space. The man grumbled and shook his head at the lack of anything to draw his eye.

He picked up the pen and placed it in his pocket, closing his notebook with his other hand. The man bent over to his side and unzipped his duffel bag so he could slip the book in. His hand paused for a moment and then lazily it slipped into the bag and moved around looking for something. It stopped for a second when it felt something familiar and then began to retract from the back, pulling out a rather large dark blue rimmed traveller's hat. Very methodically the man placed it upon his head and pressed down lightly to secure it.

It had been weeks since he was able to write anything, sadly without his pen in constant motion he had no money to buy food with; well such was the life of a homeless man. The money he made from the last short story was enough to hold him over for the last two months rather nicely, it turned out that his story was considered a hit and made more money than usual. The extra income provided a sense of false security, as if it would never end; but money was finite and soon the nights of warm beds in hotels were long gone. The man laid himself out on the bench rather uncomfortably, his leg hanging off of the back of the bench while the other kept him balanced, his arms folded together to try and keep himself warm in the cool air, pulling his hat over his face to block out the dim sunlight.

The man grunted to himself again and shifted slightly to try and bury himself into the groove of his bench to be more comfortable, the attempt failed. Another repositioning, still no good, so he continued to squirm and shift like some kind of grub worm. Ultimately he realized there was only so long he could delude himself into thinking a cold metal bench would be comfortable in the first place. Emitting another sigh he removed his hat for a moment so he could turn his head up to the sky above.

Autumn would be over soon, the skies had greyed over with a layer of dark clouds, signs of the clear blue sky would be few and fair apart. In all honesty the city had strange weather at all times of the year, it had been cloudy for most of the year so he couldn't exactly remember what that clear blue sky felt like.

Yet another sigh later and the man decided it was best to figure out a way to deal with his lack of income. Writing did not come naturally to him any longer and he had no other way to make money. Yet even when he thought that a voice in his head spoke up to remind him that he wasn't right about his skills.

_"Writing wasn't the first thing I was doing, was it?"_ His eye lazily wandered down his torso, paused and then shifted very slightly to focus on his right arm as it lay dangling off the edge of the bench. He moved it slightly, listening to the sound of metal plates shifting and making contact with each other. From his sleeve a glint of metal peeked out for a second only to be covered up by a loose edge of his sleeve.

_"Five years ago was it? I made a decent living from prize money-" _Suddenly the implication of the thought dawned on him. There was a possible way to make enough money to live comfortably however as he began to think over the prospect his mood fell apart. The memory of a certain time began to bother him and the idea evaporated.

"I've been here too long; it's time I got going again." The man grunted, swinging his leg back around to pull himself into an upright position. He quickly grabbed his bag and threw it over his shoulder and placed his hat firmly on his head. The man walked away quickly to try and escape the thoughts he had on the bench, the bottom of his coat fluttering in the breeze.

The day was starting to wear out and soon the sun would start setting. Thankfully the city council was generous enough to open up drop-in centers when the weather got cold. With that thought in mind he felt better justifying his lack of money. He didn't need to go back to the game, there was a place he could get some refuge from the cold and be provided with food from time to time, yes it was good enough for him.

However he found that his stride ceased and he felt somewhat nostalgic, gripping his right arm unconsciously. The sound of metal rang out, this time he raised his right arm and pulled back his sleeve. His right hand was covered with a metal gauntlet that originated from a large silver plate of metal, connected to it was another plate that slid under the first giving the impression of scales. Just past his wrist there was a large circular blue gem with a design in the center that made it resemble an eye. Connected to the base of his wrist was a large piece of elongated metal that formed a point at his elbow.

Though it would only appear to be some kind of fashion statement to most people those with the proper eyes could tell it was a duel-disk. A custom one made just for him actually. For a split second his stony face was cracked by the appearance of a thin smile. He looked into the palm of his silver-clad right hand; there was a small trigger that was difficult to see and he contemplated pushing the button. But in the end he decided against it, the time when he would use his gauntlet for the game was long gone.

He covered his arm back up and kept moving he had a long way to travel to get to the drop-in center. He laughed for a moment and shook his head very slowly.

_"This is just a child's game, so…How did it become like this?"_ He wondered with a bit of resentment, feelings of bitterness were starting to form and swirl in the bottom of his heart. Another bitter laugh came out of his throat, this one load enough to draw the stares of those passing by. _"Nothing to see here. Just another crazy bum walking down the street."_ The sentiment amused him enough to cause a faint smile to stay on his face until he arrived at his destination.

The drop-in center for that winter was a large retail store that was scheduled to be torn down in the spring, but for many homeless people it would be the only place out of the cold. The building was just a large green rectangle with a few doors and a row of large windows that allowed a view inside at the merchandise back when the store was operating; at that point the windows were covered up with cardboard to reserve the privacy for those inside.

The man smiled wearily and pushed open the doors; the walk had drained his energy and his feet were protesting vividly at anymore travelling after seeing the center. The interior of the building wasn't much nicer than the exterior. It was vast open space with the occasional pillar and poor quality lights that gave everything a slight yellow tint.

The man glanced from side to side to find somewhere to sit. Most open floor space was already taken with people unpacking things like sleeping bags or just lying down and spreading their arms and legs out to try and take up as much space as they could to relax.

Then something caught his eye. Off against the right wall was a small gathering of children. Curiosity got the better of him and he found that it was such a potent force that it was able to drive his worn feet towards the focus of attention. As he approached he began to hear familiar words that he used to shout all the time.

"I attack your life points with my Vorse Raider!" A young boy shouted with a voice full of confidence.

"I activate Mirror Force!" A second boy's voice responded, this one sounded a bit older and was much smugger, knowing that he successfully fended off the attempt on his life points. The first voice dismayed, the crowd of little kids mirroring one of the two players in reaction.

The man moved a bit closer to the playing field, ending up behind the boy that was thwarted. For a moment the man had to suppress an urge to flinch like he had seen something traumatizing. The flinch turned into a small shift of a muscle over his cheekbone, essentially his face remained unchanged. The man then examined the game before him.

The tide was against the little boy; his field was wiped clean from the trap card while his opponent still had a tattered copy of Feral Imp defending itself all alone on the field. The game continued with the second boy picking up a new card from the top of his deck. For a moment the man found that his left hand had once again found its way to his right arm, the sound of metal tapping metal rang out for a brief moment; but it didn't disturb the game or anyone watching it. It took a moment for him to realize what he had done again; when he did he spun around and began to walk away briskly. However when he tried he walked straight into something.

The man hit the ground roughly ending up flat on his back. He quickly pushed himself up to see what he had walked into. To his embarrassment he had walked into a woman, specifically one of the volunteers that he talked with on occasion.

She appeared to be a bit older than him, somewhere in her mid-thirties if he had to guess. She had a very homely appearance wearing a pair of jeans and a white button-up shirt. A neatly bound single blond braid that went down to her waist was lying in disarray upon the floor. Had the impact been a bit more forceful her thinly framed glasses may have been knocked off of her face. She took a moment to adjust her glasses to make sure that they were on properly, closing her blue eyes as she did so.

"Sorry. Wasn't paying attention." The apology was rather mechanical, the man speaking in bursts of syllables. The man bent over slightly and extended his arm and offered it to Maria in a fashion similar to a crane machine.

Maria smiled warmly and took his hand for a moment to help her get back up. "It's alright. Did you find anything to write about while at the park?" Maria seemed to have no grudge for being run over. The man debated for a second whether or not to mention the three paragraphs he wrote, but decided they weren't worth mentioning.

"No, not really. It looks like I'll be here for awhile longer." Immediately after he replied he became incredibly self-conscious; though it was silly, as it obviously he couldn't do much to better his opinion as an unshaven homeless bum. As he began to ponder his social status in the world, Maria noticed something about the man and quickly grabbed onto his right arm, causing him to jump slightly.

"I didn't know you also played Duel Monsters! Are you also trying out for that tournament's prize money tomorrow as well?" Maria asked with surprising enthusiasm. The man raised one eyebrow slowly; it seemed that everything the man did was slowed down than normal. His eye moved downwards to his right arm, he didn't notice that when he fell his sleeve was rolled up a bit, at least enough to reveal enough of his gauntlet to classify it as a duel-disk. A part of him felt like denying what it really was but he couldn't think of any good explanation.

"I know some of the kids-actually even the adults who can are all going to try to win that tournament tomorrow." Maria's statement struck a nerve in the man, for a moment he felt the familiar sense of competition igniting. But with a quick reminder of the past he squashed the immature flame in his soul.

"Ah, I see…I guess everyone here could really use some money." The commented produced a frown from Maria, the man shifting his head slightly in response.

"I guess you haven't heard since you're not always here, but they're hoping to win that money to keep the drop-in center open for the next few months." Maria appeared to be somewhat troubled when she relayed the news to the man. The feeling of guilt sprouted in his chest after hearing the news; however this time he couldn't suppress it entirely. He looked around to see that there were a fair number of people with small handfuls of cards that were being passed back and forth.

"But I thought this place was supposed to be open until the spring." The man's voice rose slightly, his guilt was slowly becoming mixed with the feelings of panic as he realized he would be back out in the cold soon. Maria shook her head and gave him an apologetic look.

"Apparently city council overspent their budget for the year so they need to cut money off to some things. The drop-in centers were hit the hardest because of that. In a few weeks if we can't come up with some money the power and gas will be cut. They say that they'll leave the doors open but it won't really do anyone much good inside of a cold building or to be outside in cold air." The news hit the man with the force of a hurricane. He felt his legs become a bit weaker and his hands getting clammy. His stony façade was crumbling rapidly and he could do nothing to stop it.

"I wish I could help them, but I never really learned how to play as a kid. But maybe you should join tomorrow as well! The sad thing is that most of them know they won't win, but it's real brave of them to try anyway." Maria's explanations kept striking the man with verbal slings and arrows, for awhile he swore he could feel a few arrows and swords sticking out of where his heart was. To make things worse a nagging, self-righteous voice started screaming at him from within his head.

"_Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing wasting your time like this?! A writer?! Give me a break! You're supposed to be kickin' butt all over the place back in the arena! At least be a man 'bout things!"_

The tone, the raw emotion, the voice was so real. It was exactly as it was five years ago when he was still alive. Always with an air of overwhelming confidence and lack of regard for anything else, that was always how he was. The man's shoulders slumped and he let out a heavy sigh.

"What am I doing? Like I know the answer…" He buried his head within his coat's collar and mumbled to himself.

Five long years; it felt like a time from an entirely different world. He ruminated for a moment, recalling his only friend in the world for so long. Standing with his head held high in the air, a head full of sleek silver hair that shined with the radiance of the sun. Always looking forward, that was Noah Ethereal. He was only a little bit taller than the man was but he carried himself like a king. Wearing only pristine white dress shirts with white dress pants with a nicely pressed white jacket he was like some beacon in the night. Noah never wasted time to help a person in need even if he had to smash through all impossible odds. Somehow he would make it out without a single spec of dirt on his white jacket.

If it was Noah being told the news then he would rise up, rally everyone within the center and march to the stadium with his head held up and voice booming, declaring that he would be the winner no matter what.

The man sighed once more when he imagined his friend in action. The courage to do something like that left him many years ago. His left hand moved over to right wrist again; it was placed over the part of the duel-disk that contained the player's deck. Through the material of his sleeves he could feel the shape of the deck in the device. As he did so he felt a surge of incredible sorrow. The deck wasn't his, it belonged to Noah; the cards that formed the deck were his crowning achievement. The man's lips arched slightly into a thin smile for a moment but vanished a second later. Noah really didn't care if something was possible or not, it couldn't stop him, and there in forty cards was the result; the impossible existing.

"Maria…?" The man spoke up for a moment, his voice barely above a whisper. The woman looked at the man curiously, tilting her head slightly. "I'm not sure how things will go…But, I want to go to that tournament tomorrow too." The response was even quieter than the first things he said, but they had been spoken and that was good enough.

Maria smiled proudly and folded her arms with the look of intrigue plastered all over her face. "Tomorrow some of the other volunteers and I are going to drive everyone to the tournament. If you stay here tonight you can just hitch a ride." The man nodded and gave her a feeble smile. Unhappy with his attempt it quickly faded away however.

"Now don't look like that. Even if no one makes it past the first round everyone seems really fired up. I think they're all just happy to do something like this together. Come on, if you're going to show your face to the whole world you better clean up a bit!" Maria's suggestion caught the man off guard, his hand quickly groping around his face to feel the stubble there. He let out a light chuckle and nodded his head slowly.

"Yeah…I guess I do look a little rough around the edges." In all honesty his mind wasn't focused on the conversation, just one thought ran through the man's head.

_"With this maybe I'll be able to live up to him now."_

The next morning about a dozen people had gathered in front of the city's largest Duel Monsters stadium. It was actually the pride of the city as it was the largest in the country, thus it was often the location of big events, drawing duelists from all over the world.

The building was as large as a sports stadium with a shape similar to it. With a large circular foundation the building had a white dome that could open up for allowing matches to be broadcasted citywide, the holograms visible for miles around. There was a dull roar of fans from the stadium conversing, and the loud roar of all the people getting ready to register.

Those from the center that were participating had all tidied up and were given fresh new clothing, there was nothing to any of their appearances that hinted at their social status, except for the man who was still dressed in his tattered and beaten trenchcoat; much to the displeasure of the volunteers.

The man had shaved shortly before arriving, giving him back his youthful appearance, however he did minimal maintenance to his hair, just enough to keep it in line but he refused to comb the hair covering his right eye away. He took a deep breath and found his nervous habit of gripping his right arm was more pronounced than normal. Doing his best to remain as stoic as possible he soothed his nerves and made his emotions as minuet as possible.

Suddenly Maria came up from behind him and gave him a firm pat on the back that nearly took him right off his feet, the man was barely able to catch himself by stumbling forward and nearly into a group of kids. "Take it easy there! Just have fun, if we do well enough we still get some prize money from what I hear." Maria was very evidently a morning person as she spoke loudly and with intense positive tones that the man wondered if she viewed the glass half full or that the glass was simply oversized for the contents.

The man silently followed the other members from the center to the registration desk. The man's eyes darted from side to side as he examined everyone's face to see if any of them showed signs of recognition of his own face. But no such thing happened and when it was finally his turn at the registration desk he felt confident that he had remained in stealth.

"Name please." A male voice asked routinely for the man's name, the man nodding his head quickly. For an instant he thought the voice was familiar.

"Aegis…Hallow. My name is Aegis Hallow." The nameless man had finally felt it safe to introduce himself, Aegis letting a slight smile slip his lips for a moment. Until the man that was registering him suddenly shot up in his seat. Aegis jumped back at the reaction, raising his arms to prepare for a confrontation, however the man simply stared at Aegis with green eyes wide open.

Suddenly it dawned on Aegis why the voice was familiar; he had dealt with the man before him quite frequently. Though it had been five years since they had last seen each other nothing seemed to change. The man was about forty; his brown hair was thin and cut very short as well. He still wore what seemed to be the exact same black official's attire he had years ago when he was the announcer to the duels Aegis was in.

Before the man could open his mouth Aegis shot forward and placed his hand over it, putting a finger over his mouth to make the 'shush' gesture. The man looked confused but nodded, Aegis removing his hand. "Aegis? Is it really you?! It's been five years! What happened, man?!" The man had difficulty in suppressing his enthusiasm; his eyes shining with glee.

"It's a long story, David. We can catch up later, but for now don't make a big deal about this alright?" Aegis gripped his right arm tightly; he couldn't help but start his nervous looks from side to side again. David frowned but ultimately he agreed.

"Hey, Aegis." Just as the registration was complete and Aegis was walking away he was called back by David. He motioned for him to lean in close, David cupping his hand so as to whisper something into Aegis' ear. "I hear that Iris Lifian is going to be here. I don't know if you know but she's the best duelist on the circuit, so be careful, man. She's undefeated, so you know, good luck." David's advice somehow didn't seem to make Aegis feel much better. Regardless he nodded his head and walked away quickly.

In all honesty he could feel his posture slouching and sweat forming along his forehead; the characteristic symptoms for when he was feeling intense panic. Any attempt to suppress his emotions had failed dismally and he was revealed for the entire world to see. He tried his best not to show his uneasiness when he found his way back to Maria and the others. Thankfully they were all caught up in doing last minute preparations, swapping cards and giving each other tips or advice to notice Aegis' panic. _"Honestly…What's happened to me? I used to be so confident and calm. I'm a wreck!" _Aegis' inner voice felt panicked as well, he couldn't even think coherently.

No sooner had he sat down to wonder when the tournament would begin the intercom sparked to life with the message that Aegis used to love.

"Duelists please gather in the main lobby room! We will be starting the tournament in five minutes!"

Aegis hit his head against the wall at the news; it was his strange attempt to literally knock some sense into himself. Suddenly he felt someone's hand on his shoulder, the presence of it was enough to make Aegis spin around and press himself up against the wall like a thief who had just been caught.

Maria looked at him oddly, blinking a few times. Aegis smiled weakly and let out a quiet chuckle.

"Well, you just didn't seem that well, I just wanted to make sure you'd be alright. If you're not feeling well you shouldn't push yourself, you can drop out at anytime." Maria's concern felt reassuring and was able to sooth his nerves slightly. Aegis shook his head however and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine. Don't worry. We'll win that prize money and keep the center open!" Aegis wasn't even aware of what he had said until he heard it come out of his lips, he instantly felt like a fool. Maria smiled brightly and laughed. "You sound a lot better! Come on, we have to figure out who you're playing against." Maria grabbed onto his left arm and began to drag him through the crowd. Aegis placed his right hand over his chest and sighed. He wasn't ready, but it wasn't going to stop the world from spinning.

Before he was even aware of what had happened, Aegis found himself standing atop of the platform in the center of the stadium, surrounded by spectators. Along with him were about a dozen other people that were arming their duel-disks, most in grandiose fashion. He looked around at the blur of faces in the seats; the cheering was deafening and impossible to interpret.

Aegis' mind had seemingly turned off, but his body still remembered the procedure. Walk up the stairs with your back straight and eyes looking straight forward. When you reach the top of the platform walk briskly to your side of the dueling field. Then prepare your duel-disk and prepare for the trash-talk that would follow between the opponent and himself. However to prepare his duel-disk it would require brain activity, sadly he was lacking in it. Instead he had plenty of panic and sweat rolling down his forehead.

He looked across the metal grid to see a middle aged man in a red and green sweater swinging his arms wildly to try and showboat. The spectacle would've normally amused Aegis but he could barely see straight as his vision began to blur. His heart was pounding furiously; it felt like he would pass out soon. But just as he approached his limit the same voice from the previous day came barrelling through his train of panicked thought.

"_What are you doing now?! You've made it this far! Have you forgotten what I told you?!"_

Noah's voice was crystal clear in his mind, as if he himself was standing next to Aegis. The words from the fictitious spectre were strangely reassuring. Aegis didn't understand why at first, but then remembered the time when he was in his first tournament.

Aegis had made it to the finals, however he was being beaten back by his opponent with such ease it was humiliating. Just as things looked their worst Noah leapt over the spectator's wall and charged straight at Aegis. Before the judges could react, Noah had leapt straight onto the platform and without any warning punched Aegis in the face with enough force that not only did it knock him off his feet, he nearly got knocked straight off the platform!

Noah grabbed onto Aegis' shirt and pulled him up, his eyes furious at his best friend. "What are you doing?! You can mop the floor with this guy!" Noah shouted, his voice able to echo throughout the entire stadium without any microphones. Aegis looked away, terrified and in a fair amount of pain, but Noah gave him a rough shake, the action forcing Aegis to speak.

"I can't beat him! He's too good! I just made it here with dumb luck…" Aegis muttered. Noah growled at the response and furiously shook Aegis until it seemed like he'd pass out. Noah stopped and then let go of Aegis, the boy falling to the ground in a heap.

"What are you talking about? You made it here because you believed in yourself. You goin' to tell me you're goin' to give up now?!" Noah's voice had become a bit quieter, at least to the point where only the two could hear each other.

"I did enough already! I made it all the way here, that's good enough…" Aegis' voice was so defeated by then he felt like he could cry.

"What are you talking about? You just took some hits, not like you can't make a comeback! Just believe in yourself!" Aegis looked away, not saying anything in response. Noah let out a frustrated sigh and helped his friend back up.

"Alright, you can't believe in yourself that's fine. Just believe in me." Noah finally declared; his voice calm and confident once again. Aegis was confused at the statement; the logic didn't make any sense. "What do you mean?" Aegis asked his question tentatively, afraid of another punch.

Noah smirked and folded his arms, his usual air of confidence had returned in full force. "Believe in me who believes in you. You can do that, right?" Noah's grin intensified as he watched Aegis face for his inevitable answer. For some reason the words made Aegis feel at ease. He looked at his friend receiving only confidence from him. Aegis nodded his head and the spectacle was over. Noah was taken away by security for what he did, shouting that they could take him away after seeing Aegis win. And win he did.

Now it was an eternity since then, but whenever Aegis lost hope Noah would always repeat those words to him.

"_Believe in me who believes in you."_

The words came back crystal clear. Aegis took a deep breath and let it out slowly. By then the other games had started and his opponent was shouting at him. Aegis put his right arm out, pressed the trigger in his palm and caused a thick metal sword blade to eject from the plates of metal. Along the blade were five card zones, the rim of the blade glowing a mixture of all colors of the rainbow. The longer plate of metal shot out to the side and revealed an additional space for field cards. The metal plate over his wrist ejected itself revealing the protected contents, one pristine deck of cards ready to be used.

The duel-disk was terribly intimidating, Aegis swinging it around briefly before assuming a dramatic pose. He smirked to himself as the familiar feelings of competition reignited in his soul. Aegis deeply missed the feeling of dueling, especially with the roar of hundreds of people on all sides yelling and screaming. It was the noise that resonated within the depths of his soul. His stiff exterior was cast aside and he was more animated than he had ever been in the last five years.

Aegis paused for a moment before he drew his opening hand of five cards, closing his eyes to think. _"I'll do my best with these, Noah."_ With the thought finished Aegis let out a cackle and threw his arms to the side with his cards at the ready.

His opponent backed away at the duel-disk, and after the laughter he had fallen to the ground in terror. Aegis smiled to himself, he made sure to make it a point to intimidate the opponent as much as he could to throw them off their game. It looked like it had worked very well that time.

"I'll be going first then!" Aegis declared, surprising himself with the confidence in his voice, but it was somewhat amusing.

With one more card drawn the game had begun, but Aegis came to a grinding halt when he looked at the card. Once again he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let out the breath slowly. "Orpheus, to the field! (1900/1600)" Aegis found his voice again, loudly shouting his first move.

In the air in front of him a panel glowed and light began to shoot upwards. The shape of a humanoid monster began to form and as materialized Aegis noticed that a fair amount of the crowd had gone silent when he summoned the monster. It was a card that no one had ever seen before.

The monster was human-shaped but its body was mechanical in appearance. With thin black mechanical joints connecting large silver cylindrical limbs the monster folded its arms across its smooth silver body. The monster wore a long tattered red scarf around its neck that covered it from view. The monster's face was all black except for a mouth and two slits for eyes. For some reason despite the mechanical appearance the automated monster had short silver hair that formed into points. Upon the monster's back was massive silver harp that was shaped like a mirror except with fine strings in place of the mirror.

Aegis looked at the monster for awhile before looking at his opponent with his single eye. The action alone was enough to make the man recoil again. Aegis smirked, he felt like he never left, and that Noah was still waiting with his fist at the ready if he went astray.

_"I'm not going to go astray."_


	2. Turn 2: Bugs in the System

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 2: Bugs in the System**

Aegis stormed his way through the preliminary rounds with ease. In fact he ended up finishing all the games in less than three turns. Aegis felt his confidence returning to him as it was almost trivial. Before he knew it he had entered the semi-finals. By then he was the only person from the center still left in the tournament. The center's members had taken to the stands and were cheering Aegis on from the sidelines.

He couldn't help but keep a near sinister smile on his face ever since his first game where he defeated his opponent with Orpheus alone. It didn't take very long for Aegis to develop some kind of reputation amongst the tournament's duelists. He dressed very darkly and most of his face was covered up with either his hat or his hair. The participants were murmuring feverishly in-between rounds, afraid they'd end up dueling the 'Executioner', at least that's what people began to call him because of his appearance and his duel-disk.

For the moment the officials had decided to take thirty minutes to prepare the stadium for the semi-finals, meaning they were preparing the stadium's biggest projectors to start broadcasting the games nationwide. Feeling rather exhausted, Aegis retired in an isolated hallway where he was fairly sure no one would find him. The persona he had when in a tournament was considerably different from who he really was. It was mostly all a front to play mind-games, doing so took a toll on him as he had to ensure all his actions were in-line with his persona as well as to focus on the game itself. But now he was alone and he could be himself, though it seemed that meant another mask to put on. His face stiffed and he could feel his body slowing down, sliding into a state of its own time that was slower than the rest of the world.

A roar from the crowd signalled that the break was over, but Aegis was not very concerned as it was not his match that was next. Thus he slid down the wall and simply sat against it, eyes closed and just thinking over the day. At this rate he would be able to win the tournament, however he suddenly recalled the advice that David gave him prior to starting.

"Iris Lifian, huh? I haven't seen any trace of her yet…" Aegis mused for a bit, entertaining the thought that she may have been knocked out of the tournament already. However he remembered David saying she was undefeated. Aegis frowned at remembering that thought, but he still wanted to think someone had beaten her along the way by dumb luck.

The sound of footsteps derailed his train of thought. Aegis felt a bit annoyed but paid no attention as he assumed that no one would bug him because of the persona he had shown. However he was very wrong as someone nudged him in the ribs with their foot. Annoyed, Aegis opened his eyes and looked over at who disturbed him with an icy glare. But he quickly regretted the decision as he stared up at Maria and the faces of everyone from the center.

"What are all of you doing here?" Aegis asked, trying to leap onto his feet but tripping himself with his trenchcoat; had some of the people not acted fast enough Aegis would've landed on his face. The reaction caused everyone to start laughing, Aegis burying his face in the collar of his trench coat to hide his beet red face. So much for his stoic aura he thought.

"What happened to that intimidating aura you had there, Aegis?" An older male voice reiterated Aegis' thoughts rather well, only making Aegis feel more embarrassed. "Come on, leave him alone, Earl. We were all looking for you!" Maria chirped. Aegis looked back at the crowd to find they were all looking at him with respect and admiration.

"What do you mean?" Aegis asked slowly.

"We all wanted to congratulate you!" The voice of one of the children from yesterday said happily.

"No one thought anyone would get this far! The prize money is so close!" The man named Earl spoke again; his gruff voice was even able to express happiness very easily.

"Do your best, Aegis! No matter what happens we're all real proud of you!" Aegis smiled back at the crowd and then bowed his head.

"I will! Don't worry, that money will be ours and we'll even have enough to keep the center open and buy everyone something after!" Aegis couldn't help but join in at that point, caught up in the whimsical moment. They talked for a moment but another roar from the crowd told Aegis that the game was coming to an end; he would have to prepare for his match. He bid farewell to those from the center as they promised to cheer him on in. Aegis felt warm inside from all the compliments and for awhile he felt that all the bad memories associated with the cards he carried were a bad dream. Aegis clenched his fist tightly as he made his way back to the stadium. There could be no room for error; he had come too far to fail.

He made his way back to the stadium grounds just as the previous match was ending. He looked up at the scoreboard to find that Iris Lifian was indeed still in the tournament, and as he expected the board showed her life points at an untouched 8000 while her opponent had 0. Aegis wanted to catch a glimpse of the winner but he had no idea what she looked like. Deciding it was best to just ignore it Aegis caught a glimpse of David; it seemed he was still the announcer for his duels.

"Wasn't that an awe-inspiring match?" David's voice blasted through the stadium, the crowd cheering their agreement.

"Alright, let's not waste any time here! To see who is going to face off with Iris, we have two more duelists shooting for number one!" David knew how to play a crowd, and with each sentence from his mouth the crowd grew louder and louder.

"On my left we have someone from our own backyard, already making waves in the pro circuit I give you James Raven!" The crowd had gone insane by that point; it was rather amusing to watch. However Aegis was focusing his gaze to the man striding towards the platform.

James Raven was about the same age as Aegis, probably a few years holder however. James carried himself with a very different air than anyone Aegis had met thus far. He wore expensive looking clothing that made him look like a wealthy millionaire that made his fortune on the stock market. Wearing perfectly pressed black dress pants with polished black shoes he had a white dress shirt covered up by a dark navy blue jacket over it. He had elegant blond hair that was gelled to one side; resting perfectly in place. The man screamed perfection, and he also screamed money. His duel-disk was a standard issue model, but it was painted a radiant gold with what appeared to be a diamond as the central gem. Aegis knew right off the bat he wouldn't like the man.

James reached the platform and then looked at Aegis with an arrogant smirk and then looked down at him over his pale nose. Aegis was positive he wouldn't like James one bit. David finally succeeded in calming down the raging sea of people so he could continue his introduction.

"To my right we have an old face coming back into the game! A blast from the past that just didn't die! Here he is, Aegis Hallow!" Much to Aegis' annoyance the crowd did not erupt in cheering. Instead the stadium was full of murmuring amongst each other. But to his relief twelve brave men and women ignored the awkward atmosphere and hooted and hollered while cheering his name.

Aegis felt better and then decided it was time to put on his second face. He folded his arms and placed a stoic expression over his face, if people were calling him things like 'Executioner' he was going to make sure that everyone believed it then.

With a quiet dignity he strode down the carpeted path to the platform. When arriving atop of it he noticed that James was staring at him with the same intent a shark had when eyeing its dinner. Aegis was somewhat put off by the look, but glared back with his one eye.

The ground in front of the two duelists opened up and revealed a podium rising from the metal in front of both duelists. It was a familiar sight for Aegis, that metal area that would be his kingdom for the next 8000 life points. Both duelists stepped into the podium and armed their duel-disks.

"Mister Aegis Hallow, was it?" James spoke with a voice as slick as oil and as arrogant as an emperor. Aegis took note that just about everything about this person was irritating to him and set the thought aside for the time being; there would be plenty of time later to recount how many things he hated about rich snobs. Aegis steeled himself and narrowed his left eye subtly, it was that icy gaze that paralyzed so many duelists before James, yet it wasn't able to faze him for a moment.

"My, my, how callous." The man chuckled at Aegis' intimidation attempt and returned it with his own devilish smile, his mouth pressed so thin it appeared to vanish into the flesh of his face. "I seem to remember hearing of a duelist by that name a long time ago…" James' voice trailed off into speculated silence as his eyes tried to read the man's reaction. Aegis shut his eye and feigned an amused smirk.

"It's your imagination." Aegis reply was firm as stone, James appearing somewhat surprised as he seemed to accept the statement on face value alone. For a moment Aegis wondered why the response he gave was a lie; his body had instinctively reacted without him able to intervene. James shook his head and smiled back with the same malicious intent.

"Really now? Even if I don't know your name I know that duel-disk belonged to someone on the circuit a few years back. After all the company I work for did produce a model like that; model EXCA, short for Excalibur if I'm correct." Aegis visibly flinched; he didn't like where the conversation was going, or why it was heading in such a strange direction. Something about the questions James was asking were unnerving him, his right eye beginning to tingle.

Aegis placed his left hand over his face, covering up his right eye in the process to appear like he was in a state of intense thought instead of one of anxiety and uneasy panic. Whenever his right eye began to tingle like that it was a sign of impending danger. It was only because of that eye was Aegis able to survive some nights in the slums of the city. But there were no visible physical threats, so why was his eye acting so strange? It was a dueling arena not the back alley between warehouses on the pier.

Being aware that his composure was starting to waver, Aegis let out a breath he never knew he was holding in and slowly let his hand slide off of his face and fall limp at his side. Aegis tilted his head up slightly so he could subtly look down at James and then narrowed his left eye. "Like I said, it's your imagination." Aegis stood firmly by his statement even though James was right, but something told him not to acknowledge the fact that he was the original owner of the duel-disk. Something would happen if he admitted it, Aegis knew it, his eye was never wrong about impending danger.

James let out a melodramatic sigh, lifted his hands up and shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head disappointedly. "I suppose you're right, Mister Hallow." James chuckled to himself and lowered his head slightly, looking up with unnerving emerald green eyes that tried to see into Aegis' soul.

"This is getting trite. Since I feel sorry for a no-name like you, Mister Hallow, I will let you have the first move." The insult was hidden beneath James' refined dialect and way of addressing Aegis, but it still agitated him nonetheless. Aegis' duel-disk lit up as the corresponding locations in the metal floor in front of his podium glowed.

"How generous of you, but you will regret that arrogance." Aegis shot back with venom, James losing his composure for a moment as he wrinkled his brow in annoyance. But the man's refined aura did not waver and another 'hmph' escaped his thin lips.

(James: 8000 Aegis: 8000)

Aegis grabbed a cluster of cards from the top of his deck, counting to five and quickly pulled them off the stack. Having the initiative he augmented his hand with a sixth card and evaluated it. For the entire day he made sure not to reveal many of his deck's tricks. As expected of something Noah would leave behind his deck could do impossible feats with few cards and turn duels onto their heads with the flick of a wrist. However Aegis was duly aware that a tournament open to the masses meant only a small handful of the participants would be in league with him. From the introduction it looked like James Raven was one of them. Aegis nodded to himself and decided it was time to hold nothing back; he was going to show the world Noah's legacy.

"I summon Orpheus in attack mode! (1900/1600)" The metal panel hummed to life and let out streams of light as life was given to the card's image. A silver metal body arose from the ground, shining in nonexistent light with its exquisitely polished exterior. The monster's head was tilted back with a large opening signifying its mouth open and crying out in a haunting voice to the heavens, its slit eyes barely open. Finally it came to rest on its two metal feet, the large harp on its back shifting slightly as it did so; Aegis still couldn't help but marvel at the detail in the holograms.

"I end my turn." Aegis shut his eye as he declared his move; he felt confident in Orpheus after using him to win so many of his matches, even on his own the card was a force to be reckoned with.

"Haphazardly summoning your signature monster so early in the game? My, my, you haven't learned much today, Mister Hallow." No response was given off at the taunting; Aegis had become something comparable to stone. James laughed to himself and drew a card.

"I set one monster facedown. Your turn, Mister Hallow." James made his move without any thought or effort, a style fitting with his demeanor.

After drawing his card a thought occurred to Aegis. It was the ease of James' move that was worrying Aegis. _"He made that move too fast. Does he have something bigger planned behind that card or am I reading too much into things?"_ With only a split-second to deliberate before the crowd would protest, Aegis decided to pressure his opponent before he could form a cohesive strategy.

"Orpheus, attack his face-down monster!" Orpheus reached behind itself and grabbed onto the handle of the large silver harp. Kicking off from its spot the silver humanoid raised its instrument and brought it crashing down through the center of James' face-down monster.

James' smirk widened, a confident snicker coming out of his mouth. Aegis froze up, but it was too late to call of the attack. The monster revealed itself to be a darkened brown beetle like creature that was also human-like in form. It had two enlarged claws and enlarged legging areas while its head was built into its torso. The creature appeared to be a large insect of some kind, but Aegis couldn't study it for very long as its visage leapt onto Orpheus and latched onto the metal body. With a ferocious crunch that unnerved the majority of the audience as well as Aegis both monsters vanished from the field.

"Your monster foolishly attacked into my Man-Eater Bug. As a result of flipping it face-up a monster on the field is destroyed, namely your Orpheus." James' explanation was condescending in tune, but also in the fact that he felt the urge to explain what had happened to Aegis, as if he were a child. "You've lost your key card so early in the duel, what hope do you have now?" James watched for Aegis' spirit to be crushed, however he only smiled back.

"I'm not finished yet. Since I haven't summoned this turn I'll take this moment to summon a new monster, my Occult Cultist in attack mode. (1500/1800)" The panel that was once reserved for Orpheus lit up again as this time a hunched figure in a royal blue velvet robe appeared. The figure had a hood up that obstructed view of their face. With its right arm raised and a wrinkled spindly hand extended from the cloak, the figure carried a dangling silver pendulum in its hand.

"Whenever this monster is summoned I can add one spirit monster from my deck or graveyard to my hand. So I'll place Susa Soldier into my hand from my deck. Finally I set a face-down card. I end my turn." James appeared somewhat miffed at the second wind that Aegis gained, and in a rather disgruntled way he hastily drew his new card for the turn. He paused for a moment and smirked at Aegis with a look of feigned pity.

"Without your Orpheus on the field I can safely play my spell and trap cards, isn't that right, Mister Hallow?" There was no right answer Aegis could give to James' rhetorical question as they both knew the answer. Waves of regret struck Aegis as he wished that he didn't do such a hasty move. _"James let me go first intentionally to bait out a card he knew would be a threat. I was played like a violin!"_

"First, I summon Pinch Hopper in attack mode! (1000/1200)" With a card finally gracing James' field Aegis could feel a part of himself starting to eat away at the resolve he had walking into the duel. From the space a large green grasshopper appeared with its wings extended and staring at Aegis with large prismatic eyes. At that moment all of Aegis' confidence began to dissolve.

"B-bug…s" Aegis stammered under his breath, his eye widening substantially at the appearance of the monster. James picked up on the reaction immediately and began to grin like a wolf.

"What's wrong, Mister Hallow? Are you afraid of a small little insect? It is just a hologram, after all…" James changed his voice to suddenly become sinister and ominous, normally such a ploy wouldn't work on Aegis but it was affecting him a fair bit in the presence of the two foot grasshopper.

Aegis dug as deep as he could, even searching for Noah's angry voice as something to encourage him. Aegis never liked bugs, he couldn't stand looking at pictures of them; especially if they were highly detailed images of an insects' anatomy. _"Bugs? Giant bugs at that?! This isn't good; he's intimidating me with his monsters alone! If I can't pull myself together I'll lose just because I'm scared! And then…"_ Aegis didn't need to complete the thought in his mind as a hand gripping his heart told the story for him. If he failed at that point the money he would be awarded wouldn't be enough to cover even one month of bills for the drop-in center. Now the faith of a hundred people rested in him and Noah's cards.

Closing his eye he reached into his trenchcoat and produced his worn out travelling hat. With slow and methodical motion he carefully positioned the hat over his black hair and pushed it down into place. Aegis smirked and looked up at James with his eye lazily, mockingly. "A bug is a bug. I just need a big object to crush a big bug." In recalling what he was fighting so hard for the confidence flowed back into Aegis' body. James growling at his opponent, he had hoped for an opening to launch a psychological attack on Aegis.

"Enough of this. It's still my turn! Next I play the spell card Insect Imitation!" A large green card rose from the ground behind his Pinch Hopper and no sooner had it appeared the monster left the field; much to Aegis' relief. "By tributing an insect monster on my field I can summon an insect from my deck that is one level higher than the monster I tributed. In this case I can summon a level five monster. So emerge, Grasschopper! (2350/1000)" The prospect of another insect appearing on the field made Aegis cringe, but he had to withstand the fear.

A ten foot praying mantis like monster appeared on the field. With a body that had a black underside and yellowish green plating that appeared to be like armor the insect was able to tower over Aegis. The insect had a head designed like a praying mantis with two large orange oval compound eyes that looked over the entire field. Balancing on two rather thin legs the creature began to fidget from side to side as it appeared restless. The insect had two massive claws fashioned like the real mantis with a smaller set of claws underneath it. Aegis looked up at the insect with small beads of sweat forming on his forehead; he just had to keep reminding himself it was a hologram, a trick.

"Now then, Mister Hallow!" James began to shout with a near maniacal laugh to his voice as he removed another card from his hand. "Because I used my Pinch Hopper as the tribute its effect activates! I can summon another insect monster from my hand, so I summon my Howling Insect in attack mode! (1200/1300)" Next to the behemoth of a bug the form of what could only be described as a demonic cricket appeared. It was roughly the same size as Pinch Hopper was except its face was much more distorted and sinister, its wings emitting trails of blue flames as the insect lived up to its name and emitted an eerie noise that was like the whistling of the wind but much louder.

"My, my. Your not going to enjoy this. However, what must be done must be done. Howling Insect, attack his Occult Cultist!" James' command made Aegis draw back from him. He knew that James was aware that his Cultist had 300 more attack points so the move made no sense. But there was no hesitation in the command and they both watched as the insect let loose a deathly wail against Aegis' monster which responded by shaking its pendulum slightly. The action let loose a shockwave that distorted the air and cleaved through the insect instantly.

(James: 7700 Aegis: 8000)

"If Howling Insect is destroyed in battle I can summon an insect with 1500 or less attack points from my deck to the field. I summon my Ultimate Insect LV1 to the field in attack position then. (0/0)" A pulsating red egg appeared on the field, and then tipped over. It suddenly tore open to ooze a viscous purple fluid onto the metal ground and the body of a large blue larvae crawled out of the egg. With a strange set of eye markings running along the body and small spines, the insect appeared much more sinister than the massive beast next to it.

Aegis was more confused at his opponent's course of action to really be fearful of the new insect. A part of him knew that there had to be a reason that James was a so well respected, yet all his actions seemed to make no sense.

"Grasschopper, get rid of that occult freak! Terror Slash!" James' insect hissed darkly and charged for Aegis' field, swiping one massive claw and shattering Aegis' monster in a heartbeat.

(James: 7700 Aegis: 7150)

The crowd began to cheer at the first sign of blood being let. Aegis' beginning to feel frustrated at the state of affairs he was in. James smirked to himself and moved his hand to his hand again; Aegis wasn't going to be let off the hook that easily. "I set a card facedown and now I play my spell Cathedral Hive!" The ground behind James glowed and a massive structure rose out of the holographic projectors. The building was a series of tall sand pillars that had countless thousands of large holes punched into it, most likely by the foot large white termites weaving in and out of the structure.

"Did you know that some termites can create gigantic mounds in such intricate designs that scientists have given these structures the name of 'Cathedral Mounds'? I can respect such diligent creatures, so here I provide my tribute to that dedication with my Cathedral Hive!" James appeared to gain a new found level of confidence; or maybe it was just arrogance. Aegis glowered, trying his best not to make his reactions visible and therefore easier to exploit by James.

"So what does it do?" Aegis instantly regretted asking the question as James shut his eyes and smirked. "Why don't you find out?" James laughed at Aegis heartily, but Aegis took solace in knowing his turn was coming around at long last.

Aegis drew his card and placed it into his hand, evaluating the field and then his cards a wave of relief washed over his face. _"He might have baited out Orpheus but he's made a large commitment to the field."_ Aegis looked closely at his opponent and noticed he only had a single card in his hand. With a firm nod Aegis' confidence soared. _"If I can take out his field this turn then he should be out of options!"_

"Time for my counterattack! I summon the spirit monster, Tsukuyomi in attack mode! (1100/1400)" A robed woman with waist length ocean blue hair materialized onto Aegis' field. The woman had light blue eyes and a set of blue symbols running down her right eye. In her hand she carried a stone disk that emitted a glow from its underside. After being summoned Tsukuyomi raised the disk into the air and turned it so its glowing face was directed at James' Grasschopper. With a slow turning of the disk it ceased emitting light and when it did James' monster instantly reverted into a small rectangular card on the field.

"What did you do?!" James demanded, actually slamming a fist into the podium. Aegis was surprised at the livid reaction but couldn't help but smile as it appeared he had ruined his advances. "Whenever Tsukuyomi is summoned I flip a monster into facedown defence position." Aegis took a moment to relish the feeling before he played another card from his hand.

"Now I play the spell card Binding Ritual." A green card appeared next to the facedown one on Aegis field, From its image chains erupted and shot skywards, straight into what seemed to be a portal in the air.

"This card ignores summoning restrictions on a spirit monster and lets me summon that monster from my hand or graveyard. As an added bonus any monster equipped with this card doesn't have to return to my hand at the end of the turn either! Now come forth, Susa Soldier! (2000/1600)" The chains latched onto something and began to retract from the portal, pulling down a large man who wore a similar robe as Tsukuyomi, except his was a dark brown. He also possessed a large chest plate with two metal plated shoulder pads that extended to where his elbow would be. His face was strict with a glower on his face and only white slits for eyes. A jagged blue marking ran down the left side of his face, originating from his spiky white hair. Finally to live up to its name Susa Soldier also carried a black long sword that had jolts of electricity leaping to and fro along the length of the blade.

Aegis was rather proud of himself at the move and even more so when he noticed James starting to fidget at the second monster on his field. With his voice loud Aegis proudly began to order the destruction of the massive insects. "Tsukuyomi will attack your face-down Grasschopper! (2350/1000)" The card responded immediately by pointing its disk towards James' face-down monster. From the stone rays of light shot out and pierced the card, the visage of the once towering insect appeared and was instantly shattered into polygons that vanished from the field.

James twitched at the loss but came back immediately by slamming his fist into the podium once more. "I'll activate my Cathedral Hive! During either player's turn I can summon a level three or lower insect monster from my deck, so I choose my Gokipon! (800/800)" One of the pillars in the sand cathedral split apart and from it the tiny form of a rather comical creature emerged. With a massive head and twinkling blue eyes the tiny insect found its way next to James' Ultimate Insect LV1.

Aegis grinned to himself and lifted his hat slightly so he could get a better view of James and his desperate move. "If you think I forgot about your Ultimate Insect then you're out of luck! Leaving it in attack mode is going to cost you, Susa Soldier, attack!" The chains around Susa Soldier let go for a moment, allowing the entity to glide across the field and raise its electrified sword against the larvae.

"Hold it!" James objected with his usual sinister undertones, Aegis flinching as a result. "I activate my trap card, Sacrificial Drones!" The final card on James' field revealed itself, and whatever it meant Aegis knew things were not going to go as he planned. James laughed lightly to himself and then pointed straight at Aegis accusingly. "Don't think me to be a fool. I left my insect like that so you would attack it carelessly! By the effect of Sacrificial Drones once per turn I can redirect your attack to a level three or lower insect. Gokipon, protect Ultimate Insect LV1!" The tiny insect darted in between Aegis' Susa Soldier and James' Ultimate Insect, the poor creature being cleaved apart with the killing blow that was meant for the larvae.

(James: 7100 Aegis: 7150)

"Because of Susa Soldier's effect I only take half the damage I normally would have. What a pity, Mister Hallow." Aegis' soldier fell back to its original location, the chains wrapping themselves around its body again. James extracted his deck from his duel-disk and was looking through it as he nonchalantly explained his reasoning. "When Gokipon is destroyed in battle I can place an insect with 1500 or less attack power into my hand. I think another Pinch Hopper will suffice."

_"That thing again? He must be planning something big like with that Grasschopper last turn."_ "As you know spirit monsters have to return to my hand at the end of the turn. So I'll be taking back Tsukuyomi." Quietly, the hologram of the monster faded away from the field. "I end my turn." Aegis felt weary of saying those four words but it was all he could do.

James eyed the man for a moment and then drew his card. With a chuckle he removed his Ultimate Insect from the field and promptly placed it into the graveyard. "As you should know, because my Ultimate Insect survived your turn it powers up, in its place Ultimate Insect LV3 comes to the field! (1400/900)" This time the small larvae had grown three times its size and resembled a massive demonic caterpillar. Able to rear up and look at Aegis with its small red face but also with the red eyes that used to be simple symbols, the sight was unnerving Aegis greatly. He pressed down his hat so he concealed the majority of the insect from sight, but he knew it was still there.

"Because it was summoned by its previous form all monsters on your side of the field lose 300 attack points as well." Aegis winced as he saw Susa Soldier's attack power decrease down (1700/1600). _"Now I understand. He was using his Grasschopper to bait out my initial attacks last turn. He's going to try and level that insect up to its most powerful form! I have to get rid of it, but how?"_ Aegis growled as he was played for the second time; he hated how easily it was for James to mislead him.

"Next I summon my Pinch Hopper (1000/1200). You remember this insect well, don't you, Mister Hallow?" Aegis was becoming annoyed at the constant belittling. James smirk widened at Aegis' expense, and feeling a bit of pity he gave his attack order silently. Pinch Hopper leapt up into the air and attempted to strike Aegis' Susa Soldier, but the attempt failed as his insect ended up being impaled by the soldier's sword; shattering the bug instantly.

(James: 6750 Aegis: 7150)

"You don't seem that interested in your life points." Aegis couldn't help but point out that most of the damage that he had incurred was due to actions that James himself had performed. He simply laughed and adjusted his tie casually. "Life points mean nothing if I'm in control, Mister Hallow. Now, with Pinch Hopper's effect I summon the monster Brain Crusher from my hand! (2400/1500)" Taking the spot of its massive predecessor, the mutated form of some cross between a mosquito, an ant and a mantis burst onto the field. The creature's body was colored like a gradient, going from blue at the top to a reddish hue for the underbelly. The creature balanced itself on the ground with four segmented insect legs and a massive abdomen trailing behind it. The insect had two sets of thin translucent wings that would occasionally vibrate to give off a noise similar to a helicopter approaching. Its head was rather small for the size of the creature but it appeared as if the upper half to a praying mantis was grafted onto the body as small sets of claws lined its neck. As if that wasn't intimidating enough the insect had two abnormally large arms that had even larger sets of claws on them, Aegis dared a glance at the giant insect and quickly looked away as he noticed that it was staring straight back at him.

"What a lovely beast, don't you think?" James was enjoying the cowering figure of his opponent as he hid behind his face behind his hat. "Regardless, Brain Crusher destroy Susa Soldier! Mind Harvest!" The roar that came from James' monster echoed throughout the stadium, the beast rearing its head as it did so. Then with a charge it tore into Susa Soldier and shattered it into countless small lights.

(James: 6750 Aegis: 6450)

Aegis grunted at the loss, his hands very rigid at his side for some reason. James didn't complain and shot his arm forward triumphantly. "Ultimate Insect LV3, direct attack!" The overgrown caterpillar hissed in response and spat a mass of green ooze that splattered against Aegis' podium, further decreasing his life points. "Normally I would summon the monster my Brain Crusher destroyed, but as it's a spirit monster I would be giving it back to you, so needless to say I won't be activating my monster's effect." Aegis couldn't help but wonder why he felt the urge to explain things if he felt it was pointless in the first place.

(James: 6750 Aegis: 5050)

"Before my turn is over I activate my Cathedral Hive again, this time I set my monster in face-down defence position. And lastly I set one facedown card. Your move, Mister Hallow." Aegis duly noted that each time James referred to him like that his voice became more condescending than usual.

However, despite the dire circumstances Aegis couldn't help but smirk. A part of him was still shaken by the sight of twenty foot tall insects appearing each turn but something just felt right about being on the losing end for a bit. _"That's right…Most of my games went like this. But in the end I always made a comeback somehow. Then one more time!"_ Aegis drew his card and wasted in time in revealing his second counterattack.

"I really like your monster, so you don't mind if I borrowed it right?" Aegis' comment seemed meaningless until James noticed that his facedown card had finally revealed itself. "I activate the trap card, Echoing Banishment!" The massive mutant insect began to vanish, James visibly panicking at the turnabout.

"My Echoing Banishment is a very unique card so let me explain. I can remove a monster on your side of the field and then summon this trap card as a monster with the same level, attribute, type, and of course attack power as the monster I removed. (2400/1500)" As the trap card was resolving it shifted into position on Aegis' field, producing a large bronze statue. "This is my Spirit Construct. Oh, another interesting thing is if the monster I banished was an effect monster, my construct also gains the effect of that card." Aegis finally brought his head back up and smiled devilishly at James who was hunched over in his podium, glaring straight at Aegis.

"Don't forget, my Ultimate Insect decreases your Construct's attack power! (2100/1500)" James shouted in response, looking for anything to find solace in. Aegis nodded his head; he didn't mind acknowledging that fact as he knew he had the advantage again. _"I've been holding onto these cards for most of the game. The last two attacks I made didn't do me much good so this time I had better make my attacks count!"_

"I summon Tsukuyomi back to the field! (1100/1400)" Aegis didn't care that his monster's attack points had dropped at that point (800/1400). His smile intensified as Aegis pointed his finger at James' Ultimate Insect. "Tsukuyomi, flip that annoying thing facedown!"

James growled and like the times before slammed a fist into the podium, this time with enough force to dent the metal. "You're testing my patience, Mister Hallow!" Aegis smirked.

"With your monster facedown, mine gain back their attack points." Aegis made sure to let each syllable strike James before he continued speaking. Sure enough his Construct (2400/1500) and Tsukuyomi (1100/1400) were back to full strength. "Next I'm activating another copy of my Binding Ritual spell card!" James let out a disgusted 'tsk' and it seemed like he was going to spit at Aegis at that point. "Returning that annoying Susa Soldier?" He asked angrily. Aegis shook his head and instead pulled a second card from his hand. "I'm summoning Asura Priest! (1700/1200)"

As the spell card reappeared onto the field, the chains shot up into the sky and latched onto a new monster. Pulling down from the heavens the chains were tethered to a blue-skinned man's body that was draped with silk red cloth and large golden pieces of jewelry. The spirit had a total of six arms, three from each shoulder. In a similar appearance to Tsukuyomi, the priest also had long blue hair that was tied together with red bands and a small gold ornament tied to the end of its ponytail.

"So that puts me at three monsters to your two. Alright, with Asura Priest's ability I'll attack all the monsters on your side of the field! Starting with that Ultimate Insect I flipped facedown!" At the command a sword formed out of light appeared in one of the priest's hands and was launched at the card in question. James growled and quickly flipped his facedown card.

"I won't let my effort go to waste! I activate my trap card, Waboku!" Just before the sword would have pierced the card three robed nuns appeared behind the card. The sword struck the card and simply revealed the massive caterpillar again, Aegis annoyed that his attack had failed to destroy the giant bug. Knowing there was no point in continuing his attack Aegis retired his monsters for the turn.

"If that's the case I'll activate another spell card, Spring of Rebirth." Behind Tsukuyomi a gorgeous stone fountain materialized. The water was crystal clear and radiated a soft blue glow, Aegis could almost smell the fresh water within the fountain. Within the center of the waters was a large stone spire that was cast in the gentle glow of the water around it. "I'll set one card facedown and return Tsukuyomi to my hand. Thanks to my Spring of Rebirth now I gain 500 life points as well." Aegis placed the trusty spirit back into his hand, in doing so the fountain that Aegis had summoned began to glow and emit small green lights into the air. Even though Aegis was closing the gap in life points he was still feeling uneasy. _"I've been launching attack after attack against him and he keeps stopping them cold. If I can't make a breakthrough soon he'll have his Ultimate Insect at full power…"_

(James: 6750 Aegis: 5550)

"My turn! Since my Ultimate Insect LV3 was flipped up by your attack I tribute it to bring out its next evolution, Ultimate Insect LV5!" James also appeared to be feeling the pressure from the prolonged duel and his refined voice had been reduced to a low growling. Both duelists knew the game was entering its final stage.

The massive caterpillar on James' field faded away and in its place an insect that was even larger than Brain Crusher assumed its rightful place in the food chain. The insect's body was drastically different and appeared to be some kind of metal pupa that sprouted thin spindly arms and spines. The eyes from its previous form were still present but they didn't grow with the organism and appeared to be more like red bands. It balanced on thin legs like a spider the insect looked like it should collapse under its own weight, but of course it didn't. Along its back were four large spines that twitched in the air, on the opposite side of the structure were smaller recoiled arms that would occasionally lash out for a brief moment. The insect also had a near human face that was uncharacteristically disturbing on the body of such a creature. For a finishing touch underneath its head was a single massive horn.

Aegis examined the creature and found it somewhat easier to look at since it was clearly not anything that could occur in the natural world. Still the fact that it was able to fill most of the stadium with its presence alone was quite frightening. James glowed with pride as he looked up at the behemoth, and then he shot a glance over at Aegis who had placed his hand on top of his hat and actually tilted it down to cover his face from view.

"Giving up, Mister Hallow?" James sneered, Aegis remained perfectly still like his Spirit Construct. James took the silence for whatever answer he wished, but the lack of a direct response left him feeling unsatisfied. "Fine, I can pry your cries of mercy from your lips with my insects. I reveal my facedown monster, another copy of Man-Eater Bug! (450/650)" As the card flipped over the brown insect charged towards Aegis' Spirit Construct and latched onto it. With one quick bite it tore the statue apart and retreated to its side of the field.

"Your Echoing Banishment is gone, and from the look of things my Brain Crusher returns! (2400/1500)" A third insect appeared next to Ultimate Insect, the strange writhing body of Brain Crusher joined its brothers on the field and screeched in what was probably joy. Aegis appeared troubled by the turn of events as he pulled his hat down further. Yet he remained silent. "Don't forget about my Ultimate Insect's ability, now your Asura Priest will lose 500 attack points. Your spirits are as flimsy as the name implies, Mister Hallow." James tried to provoke Aegis with his last comment, but still nothing as Asura Priest's points plummeted (1200/1200).

"Screaming in silence? Fair enough then, Mister Hallow. Brain Crusher, Mind Harvest! (2400/1500)" The mutant insect reared its head to roar again before stomping towards Aegis' final line of defence. The crowd waited with bated breath as the beast approached. The people from the center that were in the audience had gotten to their feet and leaned in reflexively. Losing the priest would mean that Aegis would be open for an onslaught of flying pincers and claws.

Aegis smirked.

Finally removing his hat from his head Aegis revealed a devilish smile that he couldn't suppress, so he instead used his hat to cover his face up. James recoiled from the expression as if Aegis had pulled a gun from his hat. "W-What are you smiling about?!" James demanded, firing his fist back into the podium and further damaging it.

"Your turn to be played like a violin! I reveal the quick-play spell card, Spirit Light!" James began to growl like a rabid wolf as he knew that he had fell straight into a trap. Aegis pulled a card from his hand and sent it to the graveyard, not explaining his actions so as to agitate James. _"He's losing his composure, if I do things right I can make sure that he doesn't think straight for the rest of the duel!"_ All of the doubts that would come and go with each turn of the card were finally eradicated; Aegis knew he could pull through no matter what James could throw at him.

"You're not going to like this!" Aegis narrowed his eye and thinned his mouth in a manner similar to the first looks that James gave Aegis; the effect was immediate as James slammed his fist into the podium with enough force to shake the small structure. Aegis' monster began to radiate red fire that grew in size exponentially. "What did you do?!" Feeling that he had tormented his opponent enough Aegis nodded his head slowly with a satisfied glow to his entire stature.

"When I activate Spirit Light I have to send a spirit monster from my hand to the graveyard. But in return a monster on my side of the field gains attack points equal to the combined attack and defence of the monster I discarded. Unfortunately for you I sent Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi to the graveyard meaning a total of 2800 more points for my priest. That's considerably stronger than your Brain Crusher (2400/1500), isn't it?" Aegis gave one final smirk as his Asura Priest formed a new sword in one of its arms (3000/1200). James growled and pounded the metal podium once more as he watched his Brain Crusher have a sword thrown straight through its underbelly, exploding in holographic smoke and flames.

(James: 6150 Aegis: 5550)

The crowd hooted and hollered at the sudden turning of the tide, the upset was dramatic and came from absolutely no where. It seemed like James was only a hair's width away from losing his advantage despite his impressive field presence.

"I understand now…You were trying to make me attack your monster to trigger that card. You were probably going to use that last turn if it wasn't for my trap card. Furthermore you were aware of my Sacrificial Drones' effect and didn't waste your monsters on what wasn't a sure thing." James appeared to have clamed down somewhat as he pieced together the steps that led to his fallacy. "I summon another insect facedown with my Cathedral Hive. It is your turn, Mister Hallow." A spire on the hive collapsed and a new card appeared next to his Man-Eater Bug. It seemed that James had lost a fair amount of his enthusiasm and boasting after getting a taste of being so easily tricked.

Aegis' face stoned over, he secured his hat back onto his head and took a card from the top of his deck. _"Another Man-Eater Bug, huh? If I do this it'll leave me wide open if anything goes wrong but…There's a chance that I can cripple him once and for all. Three strikes already, I don't know if I can afford another turnabout but…"_ "First, I re-summon Tsukuyomi (1100/1400)." James growled loudly at the reappearance of the spirit, and with a flick of her wrist she had once again put his Ultimate Insect into the dark. The attack power of Aegis' monsters restored themselves to their original values; the successive beeping had never been so gratifying for Aegis.

"You did your best, but it's time I got rid of that Ultimate Insect once and for all! Asura Priest (1700/1200) will attack your facedown Ultimate Insect! (2300/900)" James further increased the dent he had caused in the podium and then shot his arm forward to activate his cards.

"I will send the attack into my facedown monster, Man-Eater Bug! (450/600)" Aegis chuckled, he was sure that he was right, and he was also sure of what would be targeted by the insect. As a sword was being launched from Aegis' priest the card revealed itself to be the third Man-Eater Bug that was quickly skewered with the blade of light. However despite its injury it still found the strength to latch onto the priest and tore into it. Both of the monsters then shattered into light. "You couldn't avoid it forever! Tsukuyomi, get rid of Ultimate Insect!" Tsukuyomi spun around her disk and finally let it stop, pointing the glowing face to the card and shot a ray of light straight through the once ferocious monster.

"Before you end your turn, I'll use Cathedral Hive yet again. This time I summon Petit Moth to my side of the field (300/200)." Aegis felt some relief at seeing some card that wasn't a Man-Eater Bug, instead a rather small green caterpillar materalized. It seemed that James had used up a fair amount of his resources; actually Aegis also felt the grind that was eating away at his resources. "At the end of my turn Tsukuyomi returns to my hand, and I gain another 500 life points with my Spring of Rebirth."

(James: 6150 Aegis: 6050)

"I set one card and end my turn." A single card filled out another space on Aegis' field, yet it didn't do much to help the fact that he had no monsters left on the field. Aegis closed his eye and thought for a moment. There were too many things that could go wrong. _"Noah…I need help, I really don't think I can do this alone!"_ Aegis felt a bit guilty to continue relying on his friend, even in the afterlife.

James' hand had a slight tremble to it as he took a card from the top of his deck, but his face lit up at seeing the card."You've done well to last so long, Mister Hallow. But now I must cut your time here short. I will summon a second Petit Moth through Cathedral Hive! (300/200)" As another spire of the sand cathedral collapsed a second insect took its position next to the first. James sneered, albeit rather wearily but he was still able to come off as sinister. "I didn't think I'd need to use this card on you, I was saving it for my duel against Iris, but you've forced my hand! By tributing three insect monsters from my side of the field I can summon my most terrifying monster, the Megaton Mantis Shrimp! (2900/2500)"

Aegis took a step back and away from the podium at the news; James had thrown down the gauntlet for the last round of the duel. As the three small insects vanished from James' field they were replaced with a fifteen foot wide open dirt hole. At first it wasn't evident that James had done much else until the sounds of something massive moving beneath the stadium silenced the masses. Without any other warning signs some kind of beast from the bowels of the underworld burst into the air. The creature's body was formed of thick scales that were layered over the previous one, making its structure like a long armoured serpent. On each section there were two large talons that appeared to function like legs for the organism. Aegis didn't want to look up, but he wouldn't have to as the insect bent down to be just above Aegis' head.

The monster's upper body was a single enlarged scale that was opened on the underside to let two gigantic mantis-like arms a full range of motion. Between the two main arms were dozens of much smaller appendages that were smaller versions of its legs, all of them moving of their own accord. Above its arms was a single extension that had two large compound eyes that seemed to be the only trace of a head on its gargantuan body.

Aegis worked up his courage-mostly telling himself that it was just a hologram, and looked up into the face of the monster, trying to stare back at it. The mantis shrimp moved its head back for an instant, but shot it forward into Aegis' face and opened up some orifice located in the void between its arms to reveal its mouth, lined with rows of teeth. Aegis had just enough time to take in the sight before him before the monster began to emit some kind of horrendous sound that was like a screeching roar; whatever it was it incredibly fearsome.

Finally finished with its 'introduction' the creature straightened up and slid back down into its burrow and settled into place. "Feel honored, Mister Hallow! I will applaud you for getting this far but it's time you learned about this marvellous creature." James let out a confident chuckle and pointed his finger straight at Aegis, causing him to flinch. "Like the real Mantis Shrimp, mine can skewer you without even attacking your monsters, like THIS!" James' beast lifted one of its claws slightly and in the blink of an eye it shot it forward, ejecting a long white spine straight at Aegis. Before he could react the spine had struck him and the sound of his life points decreasing filled the air.

(James: 6150 Aegis: 4550)

"Once during my turn I can inflict 1500 points of damage to my opponent, and there's nothing you can do about it! However, now you'll have to deal with this majestic beast's awe-inspiring hunting capabilities! You fought hard, Mister Hallow but this is where your story ends!" James began to cackle, the noise irritating Aegis a fair bit. However he had been prepared for the situation and his facedown card began to lift off the ground.

"I refuse to give in that easily! I activate my trap card, Grave Marking! For every spirit monster in my graveyard I summon a Grave Marker in defence mode (1000/1000). I have four in the graveyard, so you're going to have to get through these first!" Aegis felt safe as he watched four black obelisks shoot up from the ground and occupy four of his monster zones. "This effect only lasts for a turn, then my markers leave the field, but this will be enough to last me until my turn!"

James simply began to laugh harder at Aegis; the man being taken aback by the reaction. "My Megaton Mantis Shrimp has a few more abilities that allow it to hunt with deadly efficiency. First it can decide the position of the monsters it battles with! Oblivion's Grasp!" Mortified Aegis watched as the beast reared up again and smashed one of his Grave Markers into oblivion, and with it 1900 of his life points.

(James: 6150 Aegis: 2650)

"But it's not over yet! My monster also has the ability to attack twice in the same turn! So again, my Megaton Mantis Shrimp, attack with Oblivion's Grasp!" Aegis teetered in place nervously as he watched the creature move with inhuman speed and obliterate yet another one of his defences. In the single turn he had taken 5300 points of damage; Aegis was barely still in the game.

(James: 6150 Aegis 750)

"I'll end my turn now, try and pull yourself together, Mister Hallow." James had found his calm and condescending composure once more; though understandable with slightly more than five thousand life points to hoard over Aegis.

Aegis had remained silent after the second attack. His field began to empty itself when James ended his turn, the remaining two Grave Markers on his field faded away into nothingness. "Don't despair too much, Mister Hallow. But you must understand that you really are no one in this world, so this is very good for someone like you." Aegis didn't respond, and remained bent over his podium. "Perhaps you were someone years ago, and that could be why a no one like you could amount to this much. But really, who are you supposed to be? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter at this point, just take your time as you realize the end has come."

"Hey…" Aegis finally spoke up; his voice had the texture of sandpaper as he opened his mouth. "I finally figured out why I don't like you." The statement took James by surprise, it suddenly didn't seem like Aegis was wallowing in misery from the way he was speaking.

"A person like you who's long forgotten what it means to live underneath the public eye could never understand what I've gone through." A completely different feeling overcame Aegis when he heard James' words. It wasn't fear of losing or the burning heat of competition, not even confidence; Aegis was consumed with rage. He had his right fist tightly clenched and twitching from keeping his entire arm tensed; the small motions being exaggerated by the erratic movement from his sword duel-disk.

"What are you babbling about, Mister Hallow? If you're stalling for time it won't do you any good!" James found it difficult to keep his voice from trembling. Aegis shot a glare at the man, James backing away from the gaze.

"You can't imagine all of the sacrifices, all of the deaths I've seen just so I could be standing here today!" Aegis' outburst had echoed through the stadium and silenced the crowd in fear that was more intense than the appearance of James' Mantis Shrimp.

"For you to just say it was all worthless, I will never allow it!" Aegis threw his right arm forward, pointing accusingly at James but also causing him to sweat nervously at the sight of the bladed duel-disk approaching him for an instant.

Though brief, the fury of the storm was subsiding. Aegis' body became limp; his head falling back and in doing so made his hat fall to the ground behind him. Aegis began to laugh from his strange position; he appeared to be possessed by a demon with how he was acting. His voice had become hoarse from shouting; or maybe Aegis intentionally sounded like that as it seemed close to his already weary, grating tune. "The reason I don't like you is that your soul is dead. You are the one that's worthless. You come here with a noose around your neck, so let me put you out of your misery! I will make you understand what it means to have an unyielding soul that can break through anything, even death!"

James fell back from the barrage of verbal attacks. He was shrinking away from the man, and actually was clutching at his chest with his right arm like some kind of war injury that flared up. The entire game changed and yet nothing changed on the field. James chanced a look up at the deranged Aegis, but quickly found it was difficult to keep his gaze steady. "E-Enough, Mister Hallow! If you're trying to avoid losing the duel-"

"Wrong!" Aegis' body snapped forward and forced apart the hair that normally covered the right side of his face. His black hair had begun to stand up and point in all directions which left his face completely visible. The area over his left eye had been severely burned leaving a unique deep crimson scar pattern that started from the forehead and tapered off just past the nose. Yet it wasn't the scar that caught James' attention but it was Aegis' right eye. For whatever reason his iris lacked any pigment and instead his entire eye was a shade of dark gray.

"I already said I'd put you and your soulless husk out of its misery, count on it!" With his rage subsiding just enough to form coherent thought, Aegis swiped the top card off of his deck, glanced at it and immediately played it. "I'm activating Spirit's Gift! By sending a spirit monster from my deck to the graveyard I draw two more cards!" Aegis didn't break stride as he almost instantly pulled out a card from his deck and slammed the stack of cards back into place. "I send Fushi No Tori to the graveyard, now I'll draw again!"

Aegis took his cards and suddenly froze up when he saw what he had pulled out of Noah's deck. The anger and fury within him ceased for an instant as a chill ran down his spine. _"So this deck really has every card you used? Even this one…I guess people would call this fate; or irony. This is the help you can give me, Noah?"_ His ruminating dissipated not only the anger in Aegis' body but just about every other emotion he had felt in the entire duel. He felt numb while holding the card in his hand and he stood fixated in place by the object. Aegis finally shook his head and added his new cards into his hand.

"I'll activate the spell card Spirit's Calling, discarding my Tsukuyomi to activate it." James recoiled at the move, he was expecting to see the aggravating spirit yet again, but for Aegis to discard it meant he no longer needed it. Then it occurred to James to ask the most obvious, yet frightening question that came to mind. "What's Spirit Calling do?"

Aegis' grinned deviously, his expression demonic with the revealing of his entire face. "By discarding a spirit monster I can special summon a monster from my graveyard. There's only one card I'd want, so I summon Orpheus back from the grave! (1900/1600)." Making his return appearance since the beginning of the duel, the sleek metal body burst from the ground, Orpheus' crimson scarf flapping in the air. The darkened face turned to face James' ultimate monster, staring back with its slit eyes through the openings in its snow white hair.

"You seem to be aware of Orpheus' abilities, no doubt from watching my games." James nodded his head slowly, his attention still fixed on Aegis' scar than on the duel. "Once a turn if I forfeit his attack, I can destroy a spell or trap card on the field. So I'll activate his ability and destroy your Sacrificial Drones trap card! Discord!" Orpheus pulled his massive instrument off his back with his left hand and then moved his right hand towards it with a jerky motion from his machine arm. Very carefully the stout metal fingers plucked at the strings on the harp, creating harsh tones that caused a bolt of lightning to streak through the air and shatter James' trap card.

"I'll set one card and end my turn here." Another chill went down Aegis' spine, but he forced his hand to place his final card into the duel-disk. The crowd began to whisper among themselves; after such a dramatic outburst, to end the turn at that point meant that Aegis had failed to turn the game around.

James eyed his opponent carefully; he wasn't sure if Aegis had been bluffing or if the new card he had set was something awaiting his mantis. If it was then attacking could spell a dramatic turnabout. James however smiled and drew his card without even looking at it before he placed it into his hand.

"I was expecting more after such a dramatic speech, Mister Hallow. But you seem to have forgotten about my monster's ability." By then the crowd had resigned themselves from the duel. Maria and the others from the center were looking at Aegis for a sign that he had a plan, yet he stared at James like a statue.

"So where is it? That soul that can overcome anything? I fail to see it, Mister Hallow!" Roared James as his Megaton Mantis Shrimp raised one of its massive claws, opening it up to reveal another spine that was ready to be fired. Aegis finally shut his eyes in silence, folding his arms together as he did so.

"Lets end this drama show then. Megaton Mantis Shrimp, finish it!" With speed that only the most advanced cameras could capture, the claw whipped forward and jettisoned the white spear straight through Aegis, the hologram sticking out of the ground and passing through his chest. Aegis' supporters collapsed back into their seats with bereavement; it seemed like Aegis would put up a better fight in the end.

(James: 6150 Aegis: 0)

The crowd didn't react immediately as it seemed like they were divided in how they should feel. Should they cheer for the city champion or feel a bit disheartened that the underdog couldn't make a comeback after such a speech. But then those sitting in the stands noticed that despite hitting zero, the duel's holograms didn't fade away like they were supposed to. James caught onto the discrepancy immediately, shifting his eyes to Aegis' field; and at what used to be his set card.

"What have you done, Mister Hallow?!" James demanded, but his voice was shaking at the turn of events instead of being outraged like one would expect.

Aegis reopened his eyes and for a moment, could feel his hands shaking involuntarily. His right eye began to sting for a second, something he attributed to the intense impact the memory of the card had on him. He could still feel the pressure on his chest and the light of day fading rapidly before his eyes.

"I activate the trap card, Endless Night." The crowd's whispering had intensified at what should have been the end of the game. Maria and the other fellow duelists from the center leapt back up and began to lean in closer; some of them actually pushing off of the people seated below them.

(James: 6150 Aegis: Endless Night)

From Aegis' card waves of black ribbons shot in all directions that was covering not just the dueling field but the entire stadium in an artificial night sky. The onlookers were shifting in their seats to look into the endless starry sky that Aegis had created; in some ways it was a beautiful sight, but there was something unsettling about the scenery that made some people nervous.

James was spinning around in his podium, head darting from side to side as he took in the changed background. He began to sweat profusely at the appearance of the black sky and began to stammer something. "This…It looks like a-"

"That's right. A Shadow Game. But don't worry, it only looks like one." Aegis response was rather detached, he seemed to have lost all his spirit and was back to speaking in dulled tones. Aegis shut his eyes again and let his mind playback that dramatic night; it wasn't like he had a choice if he wanted to see the images or not as his mind couldn't hold back the torrent. But luckily for him he was spared from the experience by James' voice.

"Don't tell me…Did you?" James had become gravely serious, his eyes trying to find answers off of Aegis' stony face. With a quiet smirk Aegis shrugged his shoulders casually.

"Like I said, a person with such a weak soul would never understand the kind of strength that can overcome death." Aegis' explanation seemed to strike James deeply, he grabbed at his chest again as before. "Now, time for the technical explanations." Aegis unfolded his arms and leaned forward slightly, using the edge of his podium for support.

"I can only activate Endless Night when my life points drop to zero. When that happens your turn immediately ends and it becomes my turn. I can't draw a card however, but as long as I summon a monster before my turn ends I won't lose the duel." Aegis found that his left hand was scratching at a compartment on his duel-disk, the spot where he kept his fusion deck to be more specific. The stinging pain in his right eye began to intensify for some reason, Aegis was starting to consider the prospect that the pain was not from the memories he had but was instead something completely different. However he wouldn't have the time to wonder as hundreds of men and women waited with bated breath for the next move.

"I'm getting tired of your attacks on my character, Mister Hallow!" James decided to break the moment with his retort, Aegis smiling to himself at hearing the counter.

"Fine, lets see what you're made of then!" Aegis snapped his fingers and it instantly provoked a reaction from Orpheus. The metal body began to convulse violently for just a second before it crumbled into a heap on the floor. Around Orpheus five blue flames lit up, trails of some dark viscous liquid began to seep out of the air and outline a pentagram around the silver monster.

"By removing Orpheus and the five spirit monsters in my graveyard I can summon this card from my fusion deck." With the tremor returning to his hand, Aegis fumbled around to pull out a single card which he played without looking at it once.

The pentagram glowed for a second and then shattered into lights along with Orpheus. In place of the monster a ten foot tall figure stood tall and staring straight at James. The figure wore a cloak that was of the purest black that made it almost impossible to see the figure against the false night sky. But no matter how simple the appearance of the monster its very presence was able to chill the air in the stadium.

"What…Did you summon, Mister Hallow?" James wasn't sure if he wanted the answer but he needed to ask anyway.

"Death (0/0)." Aegis found that he had to dig deep into the depths of his own soul just to keep from shrinking in the presence of the monster. He decided it would be best to distract himself with focusing on the technical points of the game than to focus on the reaper standing in front of him. "As long as Death remains on the field I won't lose the duel. If you want to beat me you will have to prove that I was wrong about you." The pain in his right eye started to intensify and was causing his vision to blur slightly. _"I'm not even facing this card but I'm still terrified after all these years. I better finish this as fast as I can"_

"Now, Death will attack your Megaton Mantis Shrimp! (2900/2500) The End!" Aegis' command startled James as it appeared to be illogical. But he realised that Aegis' move last turn had made it impossible for him to redirect the attack without his trap card on the field. Glowering at being forced to play Aegis' game he threw his hand forward, his monster screeching in response. "Counterattack with Oblivion's Grasp!"

James' monster reared up and sent its claws straight at the reaper. Aegis' monster rose its arm slowly and from the black folds of its cloak a skeletal hand emerged that caught the massive flying appendage with no effort whatsoever. The mighty beast let out an agonized scream and writhed for a moment before the entire creature froze in time and began to fall apart like sand.

"Whenever Death battles, the opposing monster is destroyed and its attack points are deducted from your life points." Aegis explained quietly. In his mind he remembered his own cards being obliterated by that icy grasp, his ethereal self recoiling in pain as each monster fell.

(James: 3250 Aegis: Endless Night)

James growled and slammed his fist into the podium at having his ultimate monster so easily destroyed. But suddenly he noticed that his life points were decreasing when they should have already stopped. "What's going on?! I shouldn't be losing life points!"

"The second ability Death has is to inflict the damage I would have taken to your life points as well." Aegis' reply was very machine-like, he had completely ignored James' question like it was an irritating fly.

(James: 350 Aegis: Endless Night)

"That's enough then. I end my turn." Aegis watched James carefully to see what he would do next. But it seemed that he was consumed by the fact that Aegis had essentially broken all the rules to stage his last stand. _"A soul that can overcome death…I wonder if I have the right to say he has a weak soul when I don't really know if I have such a soul myself…" _Aegis caught himself before his train of thought could continue; instead he focused on his left eye that was still throbbing in his skull. Had it always been so painful?

James drew his card and began to stare at the reaper on Aegis' field. With only his Cathedral Hive on the field James began to run through all of his viable options. No card in his hand could be used against Death, he had already spent most of his resources fending off Aegis' other attacks. But then a thought dawned on James.

"Without any monsters on the field your Death cannot damage me. All I have to do is to wait until I draw a card that can dispose of your monster, and t hat will be enough to end this game!" James felt confident of himself as he ended his turn, Aegis however shook his head.

"Hiding from death will not put off the inevitable end." _"So says the guy trembling in terror…"_ Aegis drew his final card of the game and pointed it towards James. "I don't know why your soul was broken in the first place, but I don't care anymore. The End."

Death complied and began to glide slowly towards James' podium with its robe almost spinning as the reaper approached. "If Death attacks you directly it deals damage equal to the number of cards in both graveyards multiplied by four hundred. From my count you have eighteen cards in your graveyard and I have seven in mine, making twenty five in all. A total of ten thousand points of damage." James shut his eyes solemnly and appeared to detach himself from the duel. He did his best to brace himself for the reaper's advance by raising his arms up. The spectre produced a large scythe from the folds of his cloak and raised it up in the air as he approached his target.

(James: 0 Aegis: Endless Night)

The sight of Death closing in on its victim made Aegis' body seize up. The memories he had been holding back came back in full force. He staggered for a moment and shut his eyes tightly, listening to his mind playback the time he last saw Death.

"_This isn't over, Aegis! I activate Endless Night!"_

"_Noah, stop this! If this continues then one of us will…"_

"_Where is it, Aegis?! That burning soul that could never be crushed?! If you don't have it you will be consumed by the shadows!"_

"_This is murder! I won't do this! YOU can't do this!"_

"_Then I was wrong about you, Aegis! You couldn't protect her, and now you can't protect yourself from your own Death!"_

"_NOAH!"_

Suddenly Aegis let out an agonized cry; collapsing over on the podium grabbing at his damaged right eye. The crowd began to gasp and try to see what had happened to the duelist when the holographic project of Aegis' monster flickered for an instant.

James noticed the fluctuation in the figure and swore he could see a black shadow being cast by the spectre against a portion of the night sky; something that should be impossible for a mere hologram. Knowing the implication of the event he leapt back from his podium as fast as he could, just as Death slashed at James' position with its massive scythe. But instead of passing harmlessly through the solid steel podium the weapon actually seemed to smash right through the podium and straight into the holographic projectors below. The projected night sky flickered and then fizzled out as the projectors near James began to explode in flames and sparks.

The man hit the ground roughly and looked up just in time to see the apparition still lingering in the air for a moment before it faded away; long after the rest of the holograms had disappeared. He was right in his action and avoided being caught in the swing of the scythe, or any of the blasts from the attack. James go back to his feet swiftly and despite what had happened he appeared preoccupied with something other than the fatal error in the system.

"Everyone remain in your seats! Something has gone wrong with the system's projectors, please do not panic!" David's voice echoed throughout the stadium over the speakers, but his reassurance did little as people began to file out of the building after seeing the explosions and small flames still lingering on the metal dueling area.

Judges and the officials poured onto the dueling field and began to swarm the epicentre with fire extinguishers and first aid kits, converging on James first to ensure nothing was broken on the prestigious figure. It seemed that Aegis' blight had been forgotten by the majority of people in the stadium, but Maria could be seen pushing through the masses of evacuating spectators towards him.

Aegis' head was throbbing with the intensity of a jackhammer; his vision was nonexistent and was just static from the intense pain that was radiating from his right eye. He did his best from collapsing to the ground, using the podium as support since his legs had been reduced to jelly. Suddenly he felt something warm against his right hand; the one he was using to clutch at his eye. Slowly he retracted it from his face and with all of his willpower he forced his eyes to focus on a dark mass in his palm.

Staining his metal gauntlet were trails of thick blood that ran down the slick surface and began to drip onto the ground below. Aegis was shocked at what he had found, feeling the hot fluid coming out of his eye and falling off of his face.

"What…Is going on?" Aegis struggled to pose the question to himself; but it was a dangerous thing for him to do. By speaking he had quickly drained all of his energy and found his body lost all feeling as he collapsed into a heap on the ground.


	3. Turn 3: Poison of the Mind, Part 1

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 3****: Poison of the Mind: Smitten by the Serpent**

"_Aegis, I think I found it this time."_

"_What do you mean, Noah?"_

"_How to create cards of the soul!"_

"_A card is a card, so why are you trying to make these 'soul cards'?"_

"_You don'__t get it, Aegis! Look, you know all about those God Cards and those Sacred Beast Cards and all those other legendary cards, right?"_

"_Of course, who doesn't?"_

"_Yeah, well I'm not going to be someone trying to chase after a legend! I'm going to be the one that creates the next one, Aegis! Don't you want to be a legend, Aegis?!"_

"_You know I want to be the best! But…Noah, all of your other attempts were so dangerous! We nearly died last time!"_

"_But we didn't! They say the closer you get to the truth the more they try to stop you! Aegis…You know as well as I do that there is more to this world than meets the eye. I won't stop until I see it all!"_

"_Do you really want to know of the things we can't see, Noah?"_

"_Of course!"_

"_Noah…We're not ready to know about them. You can't force things like this. When it's time, we'll know."_

"_You can only say that because you already saw something, didn't you?! Aegis, you haven't been the same ever since you came back last year. You still haven't told me what happened to your eye…"_

"_Noah. Drop it, please! I don't want you to get hurt because of your obsession!"_

"_Aegis, you can't run away from whatever it is forever. You have to stand on your own two legs again, no matter what could happen we have to persevere! I will make those cards, Aegis! My soul will burn with the intensity of a thousand suns!"_

"_But at what cost…?"_

Head still spinning, senses still damaged, but regaining consciousness. Aegis groaned heavily as he was finally coming out of his partly comatose state. The pain in his head had left him but there was still a fair amount of residual stinging plaguing him. Aegis found it difficult to move at first; his joints had locked up for awhile and as a result the majority of his body was very sore. He decided it would be easier to simply piece together where he was first.

Enough of his senses were still intact for Aegis to know that he was laying down on something. If he had to guess it was a bed from how he sank into the surface slightly. He could feel a blanket over his body as well so it would make sense to assume he was in a medical center considering how he had passed out. Suddenly it occurred to him that he still hadn't tried to open his eyes since he gained back basic cognitive functions

With more effort than he originally suspected, Aegis pried his eyelids open and then blinked a few times to clear his vision. He found himself staring up at a nice white tiled ceiling with the occasional florescent light fixture that was worked into the tiles. Shifting his eyes slightly from side to side he saw that he wasn't alone and that there were other beds with people in them; it was definitely a hospital.

"Hey, everyone! Aegis woke up!" A new female voice entered Aegis' dulled hearing; however the voice did seem to be vaguely familiar. At the foot of the bed Aegis could make out the fuzzy impressions of colored masses that could only be people. Realizing his eyesight was still impaired-though it was understandable; Aegis gave up with gathering visual information and shut his eyelids.

"What happened?" Were the first things Aegis found himself wondering. Just one of the usual repertoire of questions one would ask in such a situation.

"We thought we lost you there, boy." A second voice had joined the static in Aegis' mind; yet again it seemed to be familiar, male this time.

"I'm still not exactly here. Give me a moment." Aegis forced his arms to move first, raising them to push himself up into a sitting position with relative little trouble. He shuffled back to prop himself up against the wall and then tried to use his eyes again. Aegis' second attempt proved much more successful as it seemed that more and more of his higher brain functions came back online. He looked forward and was able to make out the figures before him on his second attempt.

At the forefront was Maria, and as Aegis would expect from someone with such a named she appeared to be very distressed over the situation, just then seeming to feel relieved. Next to her was a rugged middle age man. Behind the two were about three other children that he remembered seeing the day before gathered around watching the children dueling.

"You had us worried there. When they found you on the ground you were bleeding pretty badly. Thought a piece of metal got you or something, but they didn't find anything." Aegis realized why one of the voices was familiar. He had heard it before his match with James; Aegis remembered that someone had named him as Earl.

It seemed that Earl had changed out of whatever formal clothing he was given for the tournament and was back to looking like a stereotypical homeless man. Earl wore a tattered burgundy beanie over his head that covered his hair from sight; the hat probably had seen better days judging from its condition. A simple blue hooded sweatshirt and fading jeans were the rest of his attire. Earl's face was covered in stubble that outlined a beard he had probably shaved off just earlier in the day, with that thought in mind Aegis couldn't help but admire the display of manhood with such a vigorous set of facial hair.

Aegis' right hand began to raise itself to his right eye on its own will. When he noticed what he was doing he suddenly gasped as he noticed he could _see_ his hand. The silver gauntlet he wore on his arm was no longer present and the revelation made him panic. Earl and Maria swiftly moved to either side of Aegis and grabbed onto his shoulders, holding him back with some difficulty.

"Now don't worry there, boy. No one took anything of yours; it's all right there on the dresser." Earl motioned towards Aegis' right side, and sure enough on top of the fixture was his duel-disk lying next to his neatly folded royal blue trenchcoat and travelling hat. Aegis nodded his head and relaxed, using his right hand to press down his messy black hair, flattening it over the right side of his face and covering up his damaged eye.

"Aegis, you've been through some hard times, haven't you?" Maria asked rhetorically; the look of concern overtaking her face.

"Who hasn't? Sometimes some people go through harder times than others." Aegis spoke disjointedly as he feigned a smile. His body was still weary and he decided to lay back down on the warm bed; it was a luxury that he didn't receive very often.

"Mister Hallow?" Aegis knew in his mind that it was a little boy who had addressed him as such, yet he couldn't help but flinch as he remembered James Raven constantly using the title as a way to belittle him.

"You can just call me Aegis. Please, I don't want anyone calling me that for awhile." Aegis found himself nearly pleading; the duel he had did take a considerable toll on him mentally and physically. The child that addressed him quickly lowered his head when he realized what he had done and began to fidget nervously. Aegis felt the tingling of guilt in his heart and quickly chuckled. "What did you want to ask?"

"Um…Me and my friends were wondering uh…" More fidgeting came from the child as he found it hard to finish his question. "Where did you get cards like that, Aegis?" Aegis found himself frowning at the question. Normally he would've have made up some story of winning a tournament with the cards as a prize, but he had an unsettling feeling that made it impossible to come up with a false story.

"It was my friend's deck. I don't know how he got it though. Sorry." Aegis found that after he said an inclining of truth that he could lie for the rest of his answer. The boy appeared unsatisfied with the response but didn't pursue the matter any further when he noticed Aegis' solemn face.

"Aegis, if something happened to you…Everyone here would let you lean on them; especially when you've done so much for complete strangers." Maria looked distressed at being unable to contribute something meaningful. Aegis smiled weakly at the sentiment but ultimately shook his head and declined silently.

"Now don't rush the boy. When the time is right Aegis will talk about those things, right?" Earl's addition to the conversation made Aegis feel a great deal of gratitude towards the man. Perhaps it was because they were both of the same social status, but regardless he saw that Earl had a fair amount of wisdom to share. Aegis nodded his head as best he could and then closed his eyes sublimely. "What happened after I passed out?" Aegis asked quietly, relishing the warm sheets over his body.

"Well there was quite a commotion after the holographic projectors malfunctioned, so the finals were postponed until tomorrow morning." Maria's explanation was satisfactory and the children present all needed their heads in unison. "Right now it's about seven so you've been out for a few hours. The doctors were really freaked out when the medics brought you in. They did some x-rays and found nothing actually wrong with you; but they did find a really weird mass in your head…" Aegis nodded his head calmly; the information wasn't new to him.

"I know. Don't worry, it's nothing harmful. There's just a story behind it-which I'll tell another time." Aegis added on his last statement very quickly and silenced one of the children who were no doubt about to ask about the story. "They sure don't waste time to keep their Duel Monster tournaments on track do they? You'd think they'd have enough money to keep some people out of the cold too." Aegis grumbled in a lower voice than usual. Earl nodded his head at the comment and muttered something under his breath.

After the conversation there was a deafening silence that allowed Aegis to reassess his physical condition. Since Aegis moved his arms the soreness in the majority of his body dissipated. Along with it the stinging in his right eye was also gone. He felt like his usual self, and as expected the feelings of exhaustion were starting to engulf him.

"It's been a bit of a long day. If it's alright with all of you I'd just like to rest for the night." Aegis reopened his eyes to gauge the reactions of those around him. There was unanimous expression of hesitation at the statement, Aegis smiling at everyone to try and ease their nerves. "I'll be alright. Just get me before the finals tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Maria couldn't help but ask when she was sure of the response. Aegis nodded wordlessly. The conversation had ended, the five gave their parting words and filed out of the room; discussing what would happen at tomorrow's finals.

When the door was shut Aegis let out a sigh and sank into the mattress. Because of everyone's presence he didn't have a chance to recall a dream he had prior to waking up. It was far too long since he awoke and the pieces of the experience had already slipped through his fingers. Yet Aegis felt very troubled; especially when recalling his inability to lie about the origins of his deck. _"I have a feeling I was thinking of something I shouldn't have been…Noah. I bet that I was thinking about him."_ Aegis sighed heavily, his soul weary and beaten. He swung his head to the right and let his eyes rest on his duel-disk.

_"In the end the price we paid for those cards wasn't worth it. I wish you were still here to guide me, Noah. But, that was a long time ago, wasn't it?"_

_"92…93…94…"_ Aegis found himself laying down on a bench back at the tournament site the following morning. He had been unable to sleep as his mind was spewing portions of Aegis' past for the entire night. Something had set his mind off on the tangent and he didn't like it.

_"135…136…137…"_ When Earl came to pick him up Aegis felt like he was finally able to start dozing off, which is exactly why Earl arrived at that moment. Feeling the effects of missing a night of sleep, Aegis had difficulty in walking straight and looked like he had been drinking. Still, after walking for awhile he found himself gaining control of the finer motor controls in his limbs. By the time they reached the stadium everyone else were eagerly waiting for Aegis; but he didn't appear to be in very good shape. His eye was more sullen than usual with a pronounced black patch of skin that had resulted from the long night. His hair was somewhat fuzzy from tossing and turning in the hospital's bed and left Aegis with a permanent frown from being so distressed.

_"170…171…172…"_ After getting some coffee and energy drinks shoved into his system; courtesy of the fretting center people, Aegis found that he was experiencing something of a constant flow of energy throughout his body. It was something that would probably diminish over the day and then cause him to crash and collapse later on.

_"200…201…202…"_ As he lay on his isolated bench Aegis found himself doing any strange thing to keep himself distracted. Strange thoughts and feelings had been trying to seep into the forefront of his consciousness for so long it was starting to drive him insane; or perhaps such abnormalities were being amplified by all of the chemicals he took to remain conscious.

"Aegis! There you are! I was looking all over for you! The finals are starting in ten minutes!" Maria came running down the hallway and stopped to loom over Aegis' sprawled out form. "Hey…Aegis, are you going to be ok? You don't look like you're all there…" Maria moved her left hand towards Aegis' face very slowly, going for the hair he kept in place to cover his burnt skin and damaged gray eye. Aegis watched the creamy hand as it got within an inch of his face before he finally moved his head back.

"You're worrying too much over me, Maria. It's just been stressful being back here." Aegis responded in a quiet voice, devoid of any outward emotion. His right eye closed halfway out of weariness than exhaustion, the dark brown eye lazily shifting to focus on Maria's face for a moment before looking back to the ceiling.

"I'm sorry for making you do this. I didn't realize that you were _that_ Aegis Hallow from the papers five years ago. It's just…I guess whatever happened it was very bad."

"Well, that's alright. Like I said, when it's time I'll tell you about it. I owe you anyway, don't I?" Aegis laughed to himself as a new memory came back to him, breaking the trend of tormented thoughts he had. With the break of norm the entire tower of thought had collapsed and left Aegis feeling much better. "It's time I got ready isn't it? Let's see if I can break the best in the business." With a smile Aegis swung his legs around and sprung himself into a sitting position before he kicked off of the bench to be vertical.

Maria appeared to feel better at the signs of Aegis being revitalized and smiled as well. "Oh, what were you doing here all that time, Aegis?" Maria had spent about half an hour searching along with eleven other people for the illusive man. Aegis blinked slowly and wondered how the response would look. Regardless of what would happen, it probably would make him laugh.

"I was counting the voices in my head."

Aegis stood in the shadows of the corridor leading into the packed stadium. The onlookers were filling into their seats and creating a fair amount of noise in doing so. The dull roar was still soothing to Aegis' ears; as he listened his mind began to wander as it often did. Despite all of the anguish that made him stop the game Aegis still found it therapeutic to listen to the voices of hundreds in united cacophony.

"Alright! We've kept you all waiting much too long for this duel!" David had assumed center-stage with his microphone twirling about in his hand. Aegis' symphony was silenced quickly. He sighed and reached into his coat to once again produce his trusty hat. Securing it in place and tilting it downwards slightly to cover up his eye from view.

"So let's get things moving! Returning from the grave not once, but twice in this very stadium, the man that has Death itself at his beck and call, I give you our first finalist, Aegis Hallow!" Unlike before the crowd had warmed up to Aegis and gave him the same reception that James had received. Hooting and hollering with some mindless cheering in-between. Yet Aegis wasn't entirely pleased with the scenario, firing an unhappy look at David who was too caught up in the cheering to notice. _"Did you really have to describe me like that? You're making me into someone I'm not!"_

"Finally, the current legend of the pro circuit with a perfect undefeated record, here she is, the beauty in black, Iris Lifian!" While getting a simpler introduction Iris received a much louder and powerful response from the crowd. _"This is going to be another long duel…"_ Aegis grunted to himself and assumed his position at the podium.

He had wondered what kind of person Iris would be; and after his match with James Raven, Aegis found himself hoping for someone he could tolerate. From the hallway opposite him he could hear the characteristic sound of high-heeled shoes walking slowly towards the dueling field. When Iris emerged from the hallway there was a surge of hooting and catcalls from the male onlookers; even Aegis couldn't stifle a look of surprise. _"Wow_,_ pretty."_

Iris carried herself highly judging from the perfected stride and posture she had when walking. She appeared to be around Aegis' age, but he had a feeling that she may be a bit older than him, even if it was just because of her conduct. In a similar manner to James, Iris also dressed very formally but had a different feel to her style than James. She wore a pitch-black silver buttoned long-sleeved jacket that had no trimmings which had two silver buttons on each sleeve instead for decoration. The jacket almost appeared to be inspired by the original duellists that used swords and would wear elegant garments such as the one she had. But instead of a rapier at the ready she had a very old duel-disk on her hip; the model being the ones used in Battle City and long thought to be discontinued. Rather than a feminine garment for her lower body, Iris vetted for a pair of finely pressed black dress pants that left a slight bit of her ankles in sight.

Having first directed his gaze to evaluate Iris' clothing Aegis brought his head back up to look at her face. While she did have a very elegant face that glowed with amble health, Aegis' attention was grabbed by two things immediately. The first feature Aegis noticed was her hazelnut hair which was waist long yet seemed to remain as one single strip. Though Aegis thought it may be because of the second feature he noticed, being her eyes. They were an unnaturally bright yellow that resembled a serpent's gaze, the second she looked at Aegis he could feel himself starting to sweat nervously.

"This is going to be a duel for the history books! Wish them luck as here we go!" David appeared to be more enthusiastic than usual; from the way he was ranting and raving it looked like he was having a fit. But in comparison to the mobs of people around him David's actions were relatively tame to the roar in the stadium.

Aegis lifted his right arm and pressed onto the trigger in his palm; the bladed duel-disk shooting out and lighting up for use. He was grateful at having the foresight to place his hat on before entering the podium as it covered his face from direct view. Aegis felt uncomfortable when it began to sink in that he was trying to be the first to dethrone royalty. _"The best, huh? This isn't good; I barely made it through that last game, even needing to use that card to win. But…If I don't win here I won't be able to bring back enough money for more than a month of bills for the drop-in center! Winning here means I can cover three months…Even if I lose the first month is still covered though…Maybe it's enough that I've come this far…"_

As Aegis finished his thought he began to feel fearful of his actions. Combined with his poor cognitive state he found that his mind was racing through scenarios and outcomes in which he failed horrendously. Suddenly it occurred to him that his thoughts mimicked the first time he went to a tournament, and received Noah's punch of clarity. But when he tried to recall on the words he spoke back then a jolt went through his body that filled Aegis with foreboding. Something was still wrong, and for whatever reason he couldn't think of his former best friend without feelings of guilt and anger. Aegis started to fidget as it dawned on him that he had no ability to support himself without being able to rely on Noah. Aegis' breathing became rapid and was causing his whole body to tremble with each breath.

"If it makes you feel better, Aegis, I can throw a punch at you if it helps." Aegis looked up at the refined female voice that just spoke to him. Iris had her eyes closed and was casually shuffling her deck, turned slightly to the side as she did so.

"How did you know about that…?" Aegis' right eye had not reacted at the comment so there was no immediate physical danger threatening him; but something was still wrong about the situation. Iris smiled back and placed her deck into her duel-disk, readying it for the game.

"I know a fair amount about you, Aegis." Whispering shot through the crowd like wildfire at her reply. Aegis flinched visibly and then moved his hat further down his face, nearly covering up his entire head.

"What exactly do you know…?" Aegis' voice had become considerably more serious, weighed down with deep suspicion and paranoia of the woman in front of him. Iris reopened her bright yellow eyes and looked straight at the man who had vanished into the navy blue fabric of his clothing.

"Can I have your hat?" The question was completely unrelated and took Aegis by surprise; it also caused the whispering in the stands to intensify. Aegis tipped his hat with his left pointer finger and examined Iris with his eye.

"Nope, afraid it's mine." Aegis' response was simple and straight to the point. Yet a blast of booing that came from the male spectators began calling for him, the turn of events making Aegis shrink a bit. It seemed that Iris had more of a reputation than Aegis had guessed; and he guessed she was already very world renowned.

"I'm impressed." Iris' reply made Aegis feel even more lost, everything that came out of her mouth seemed to be meant to confuse him. "Most men give in to something like that. You may have that burning soul you were so vividly abdicating after all." Yet again Aegis couldn't decide on how to feel; so he remained a bit offended and a bit proud of himself.

"What's the point to all of this?" Aegis tried his best to speak over the lingering booing that persisted.

"You're interesting to me. I'm just getting a feel of you." Another simple explanation coming out of Iris' refined lips. Aegis grumbled and was feeling quite frustrated with the audience, as well as being sleep deprived and teetering on the edge of sanity. As a result he swung his right arm out to the side, slashing right through the podium's right wall and sending chunks of pewter colored metal into the air. The display got him the desired response and made the remaining members in the audience fall silent.

"Are you not feeling well?" Iris appeared to be taunting him with her last statement; the resemblance to one arrogant, condescending snob suddenly came to Aegis' mind. "Well, since you won't give me your hat, how about I wager for it?" Aegis raised his eyebrow in response to the challenge; yet another off topic thing had come out of her mouth.

"What kind of wager?" Though there was no reason to humor Iris, but Aegis couldn't help but be curious.

"If I damage you first in the duel, you give me your hat. How about that?" Iris grinned thinly, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Don't get too cocky just because you're undefeated!" After Aegis fired his objection, he quickly realized how flimsy it was. "What do I get if I damage your life points first?" Iris paused for a moment and thought. Finally she reached into her jacket and produced a small white handkerchief.

"A maiden's favor. How's that?" Aegis looked unhappy at the trade; even if Iris made it sound much better than it was in reality. Aegis' immanent refusal of terms had caused a redoubling of disapproval to come from the crowd. _"This is ridiculous! If I don't play Iris' game the crowd is going to be like this for the whole duel. Honestly, why do I have to put one of my only possessions up for grabs for something like this?"_ "Alright, alright! I'll take your bet. Just hope that cloth wasn't important!" Aegis threw down the gauntlet, the crowd switching modes to hoot and holler at the declaration.

"The game hasn't even started and already the pressure is on! Looks like we're going to be in for quite the show!" David shouted over the speakers at an opportune moment, provoking even more noise from them; Aegis assumed it was why David was still preceding over big name tournaments.

David walked over to each of the duelists and collected the prizes from both sides before he took them off to the side; Aegis feeling very naked and cold without the hat over his head. With the introductions finally finished both duelists drew their opening hands and prepared for the battle ahead.

(Iris: 8000 Aegis: 8000)

"Ladies first." Iris promptly drew her card before Aegis could protest; though the crowd would ensure he couldn't. She wasted no time in her advancements and swiftly threw a card into her duel-disk.

"First I summon my Venom Basilisk in attack mode (1700/1000)." On Iris' field a ten foot black serpent emerged onto the field. The beast was coiled tightly with long rows of sharp fins running down the back of the snake. Two sets of legs were connected at the back and the front of the monster; the front limbs possessing much larger claws than the back ones. The creature's head was more draconic than it was serpentine with an elongated snout and black whiskers that flowed backwards. As a last touch the basilisk had two glowing red eyes to act as its only means of seeing.

A second card appeared behind the monster shortly after the card materialized. "I'll set a card and pass things over to you." Iris smiled at Aegis with all the sincerity of a serpent.

"Basilisks are said to kill with one look." Aegis took a page from Iris' book and began to go off on an unrelated topic as he drew his card. "But you can kill them with a rooster's crowing. I'm not sure if this counts but let's find out! I summon Fushi No Tori to the field! (1200/0)" A fiery red phoenix erupted onto Aegis' side of the field, trails of embers floating to the ground like feathers. Iris' basilisk began to shrink at the sight of the bird, Aegis noticing it immediately.

"You're well educated, Aegis. You're right, even as a card my basilisk will be destroyed if it battles a winged-beast card. But, it's safe as long as you can't attack it, so I activate my facedown card, Threatening Roar!" A deafening roar like that of a lion blasted throughout the stadium, causing Aegis' monster to shrivel in its presence.

"It's never that easy, is it? I'll set a card and then activate Swords of Revealing Light!" Massive swords formed from pure energy descended from the heavens and lodged themselves into place on Iris' field causing her basilisk to howl madly. Aegis picked up his monster and replaced it into his hand. He was so confident that he could end the pointless wager in a single move, but there was a reason Iris was the best.

"Stalling only-"

"Delays the inevitable, so says the lady that stalled my attack." Aegis wasted no time to cut off Iris' comment and to fire back with his counterpoint. Iris appeared slightly surprised at the outburst, but only smiled wider at her opponent. "Fair enough, Aegis." She drew her next card and glanced at it casually and placed it into her hand. "I'll set another card and end my turn." Aegis eyed the card carefully as it appeared. _"She knows I'm going to destroy her basilisk…I better be prepared."_

Aegis drew his card, but paid little attention to it and promptly re-summoned his phoenix. "You're more than aware, but I'm summoning Fushi No Tori once more! (1200/0)" Iris had closed her eyes sleepily and only nodded her head at the statement. Aegis hesitated for a moment but growled and shot his arm forward, pointing straight at Iris' monster. "Attack with Sacred Flames!" Aegis' phoenix let loose an ear-splitting screech that shattered Iris' Venom Basilisk instantly. He sneered as his monster then let loose a jet of flames straight at Iris' podium.

"Our game ends here! I activate Magic Cylinder!" The crowd let out a collective gasp at the turn of events. Two golden cylinders appeared in the air. One of them absorbing the stream of fire that threatened their master, the second cylinder promptly released the flames back at Aegis.

"You'd think that, I'm activating my Hallowed Life Barrier! I'll discard Occult Cultist and nullify all the damage I would've taken." The crowd let out another gasp at the counter Aegis provided, the onlookers surprised to see Aegis battle Iris on such even ground.

Iris sighed and shook her head. "It really isn't that easy." Aegis found himself smirking at the comment. "Keep trying. For now however, I'm activating my Spring of Rebirth, now each time a monster returns to someone's hand I'll gain five hundred life points." Aegis found himself staring at the same beautiful stone fountain that he had used in his last duel. The waters glowed a gentle green that reflected off of a large stone within the center of the structure. "And one more facedown card for the road will do it for me." Aegis placed another card into the blade of his duel-disk and retrieved his spirit monster, causing his fountain to glow brightly.

(Iris: 8000 Aegis: 8500)

"I'm impressed with you yet again, Aegis. Keep it up now, or else I'll be disappointed!" Iris was much too happy with the situation for Aegis' taste; or it was just his sleep deprivation causing him to be more irritable than usual. "I'll start my turn by playing Snake Rain. By discarding a card from my hand I can send four reptile monsters from my deck to the graveyard. So I'll discard my Venom Boa to activate my spell, and then I'll send three copies of Venom Snakelet and a single copy of Venom Snake to the graveyard." As Iris played her card hordes of serpents came tumbling from the sky and bounced off of the ground before vanishing.

"To end my turn I'll play my field spell Venom Swamp." As Iris placed her card into her duel-disk geysers of deep violet mist shot into the air that covered the entire dueling arena in a deep purple haze. "At the end of every turn I place Venom Counters onto anything without venom in its name. For every counter on the monster it loses five hundred attack points, until eventually it has no power and will be destroyed by the poisonous swamp."

Aegis left somewhat intimidated by Iris' sudden change in demeanor. She was exquisitely charming but had the distinct feeling of being as equally as deadly. _"She makes for a good snake after all…" _Aegis could feel himself starting to sweat again, but he didn't have his hat to cover his distressed face.

"Don't panic too much, Aegis. Without your hat you're exposed to thousands of venomous gazes." Suddenly the implication of the wager struck Aegis with the force of an 18-wheeler truck. _"This was a big trap! She knows how to manipulate the crowd and her opponent's with these ploys! Well…This is getting interesting."_

"You're quite the piece of work, Iris. I really have to admire how cunning you are, using the crowd to back up any of your mind games. But you know, I like having the odds against me." Despite the situation and his vulnerability, Aegis couldn't help but feel revitalized at the thrill of the game. With a giant grin on his face he began to stare Iris down, and surprisingly it caused some kind of reaction.

"Even after five years you're still terrifying I see." Iris appeared to be slightly flustered by the display of confidence, but it wouldn't last long as her comment had done the same to Aegis.

"Who are you?" Aegis had faltered at the sudden remark, falling back in his podium.

"Iris Lifian, who else? Now it's your turn, Aegis." Iris' deflection was simple and effective like her entire style.

Yet another battle of wits had ended with Aegis trying to stroke his bruised ego. Annoyed, Aegis drew his card and began to plan his next offensive. _"Her last move is a bit strange. Either she's going to build up for something in the long run or there's a serpent waiting to leap out at me…Let's see how this plays out…"_

"Fushi No Tori, in attack mode! (1200/0)" Aegis' move seemed very hasty but if it was no one seemed to think Aegis was aware of it. However the lack of a response from Iris caused Aegis to cringe slightly. "Attack Iris directly with Sacred Flames!" The command he gave was rather weak and came out with a slight wavering of his voice. _"I was hoping I baited something out, guess I won't know until it's too late."_

"Were you waiting for something, Aegis? Well it doesn't matter; I won't lose this wager that easily. I'm activating the effects of the Venom Snakelets in my graveyard." Iris frowned a bit and then pulled the three copies of the card in question out of her graveyard.

(Iris: 6500 Aegis: 8000)

"By paying five hundred life points I can summon a Venom Snakelet from my graveyard to the field, and I choose to summon all three (100/0). But this won't count as you damaging me, so the wager is still on." Iris shot Aegis a quick look right as he opened his mouth to protest. Feeling the crowd would be on her side, Aegis muttered to himself and watched as things developed.

Three small eggs appeared on Iris' field, from each a tiny baby snake popped out of each, but still remained in their egg shells. Aegis found the sight somewhat endearing, until each of the snakes spat out a purple mass that turned into a copy of a snake as it flew through the air. The cloned serpents latched onto Aegis' phoenix and caused it to screech in pain before it was destroyed in a haze of purple mist.

"What happened?!" Iris smiled sinisterly at Aegis, her eyes almost glowing in the purple haze.

"If I summon a Venom Snakelet I can place a Venom Counter on a monster on your side of the field. Since I summoned three at once I put three of them onto your monster. It reduced your monster's attack power to zero and by the effect of Venom Swamp, it was destroyed." Aegis glowered at the explanation, suddenly finding the tiny serpents to be quite ugly instead of adorable.

_"That Venom Swamp card is going to cause me a lot of problems…I need to get rid of it somehow."_ Aegis shook his head and played another set card. "I'll end my turn here."

"I wonder if that's your trump card…" Iris drew her card and began to eye the glowing swords that were illuminating her side of the field. "I'm afraid you won't be hiding any longer, I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your swords!" A tornado appeared and swiftly tore through Aegis' defensive play, Aegis looking worried at an early cancellation of his plans.

"I'm afraid I'll be taking your hat now, Aegis. I summon Venom Snake! (1200/600)" A thin five-foot long purple and orange snake materialized amongst the ranks of the tiny baby serpents. "Now attack him directly, Poison Fang!" Aegis shrank at the oncoming reptile, his fists clenched tightly.


	4. Turn 4: Poison of the Mind, Part 2

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 3: Poison of the Mind: Infection Setting In**

(Iris: 6500 Aegis: 8000)

For an instant, right before the darting purple snake would make contact with Aegis and decimate a portion of his life points, he found himself recalling of how he wound up in such a situation.

With his head full of lead and aching from forcing it to operate with such little rest and far too much weighing on his mind, Aegis found himself dueling the current undefeated star of the dueling world, Iris Lifian. Yet even a person in such a high position seemed to know something about the former man Aegis once was; the thought of what or how Iris knew about him concerned him deeply. Combined with her knack of throwing the crowd into fits to get her way with mind games Aegis had wagered his treasured blue hat for no better reason than to appease the masses.

With his line of thought solidified Aegis directed his attention back to the game at hand, in which case he would lose the wager and his precious travelling hat. _"Like I'd lose my hat this easily!" _Sleep-deprived, barely able to focus and still unable to make his mind operate at full capacity, Aegis still was able to fight back with zealous glee.

"As if your snake is going to touch me!" Aegis suddenly burst out with a loud cry. "Ring of Destruction, finish this blasted bet! I'm taking back my hat now and you can't stop me!" One of the two set cards on Aegis' field rose and revealed a gray ring with grenades attached to it. The device spun through the air and intercepted Iris' Venom Snake and exploded on contact. "Your monster is destroyed, and we both take damage equal to its attack points!" The impact had been great and caused tremendous amounts of holographic smoke to cover the dueling field, momentarily overcoming the deep purple mist created by Iris' Venom Swamp.

(Iris: 5300 Aegis: 7300)

"So how do you like that? I'm taking my hat and your favor!" Aegis promptly put his open left hand out and towards Iris. He had expected her to be upset at losing the wager, but when the smoke settled she had her eyes closed serenely and simply smiled casually back. Aegis faltered for a moment, looking fairly troubled at the lack of a response. _"Not even a little miffed…"_

"I'm not entirely sure if you did win our wager, Aegis." Iris finally spoke, her voice as cold as ice and no louder than a hiss.

"What do you mean?! I just delivered the first blow! Even you can't deny that!" Aegis found himself hard pressed for self-control; the lack of sleep was telling him to deliver an entirely different kind of blow to Iris to settle the wager.

"That's true, but in the process you damaged yourself at the same time." Iris reopened her eyes slightly and glanced over at Aegis slyly.

"Well, I should win another prize for being able to deliver both of the first hits on our life points!" Aegis found his argument fell on deaf ears as the crowd had began to show their support for the reigning champion and were blasting the stadium with booing and other displays of disapproval.

"Why don't we let the judge decide then?" Iris' voice immediately silenced the crowd; Aegis growling lowly at the one-sided show of loyalty. Suddenly Aegis realized that it was David who was the head judge for the match. The two knew each other well, and Aegis suddenly felt assured in having his hat returned to him, it would only be-

"The way I see it, Iris was going to deal you damage no matter what you did, and since you played Ring of Destruction you didn't really do anything about the damage, just you did it to yourself…So how about we say you both won the bet?"

_"Dead man walking."_ Aegis suddenly couldn't find any part of his being that felt a kinship with David as he gave his decision. With great anguish he watched as David handed Iris one of his only earthly possessions, the slightly tattered royal blue hat that had kept his head warm and dry from the summer showers had found its way into Iris' elegant grip.

With a feverish grin David approached Aegis' podium carefully, his arm stretched out as far as he could make it with the white handkerchief that Iris had wagered in hand. Aegis shot David a glare full of more venom than the entire simulated field, the judge sweating more profoundly but still mustering up the nerve to approach the enraged man.

"S-Sorry, Aegis, but at least you still got something out of it!" David's brand of optimism didn't amount to very much in Aegis' one good eye. While muttering curses under his breath Aegis swiped the handkerchief out of David's hand and promptly pocketed it into his trenchcoat.

"Now don't be so angry, Aegis. I know for a fact that things like that go for lots of money if you find the right buyer." Iris' commentary failed to improve Aegis' mood; however he did have to stop the urge to pull the cloth back out to examine it. The scowl on his face would only deepen as Iris looked over her new hat carefully, turning it over and flipping it around. Finally she placed the top into her left hand and mimicked the action Aegis performed to place the hat on his head; even pressing down on it slightly while leaning back gently, a perfect duplication of how Aegis had placed the garment on during the duel against James Raven.

Smiling deviously, Iris tipped the hat forward to cover up her eyes so only her thinly pressed smile peaking out at Aegis. "How does it look?"

Aegis grumbled to himself, the answer was obvious to him and anyone else in the stadium. His hat looked awfully out of place compared to Iris' refined attire. While the worn out hat looked more appropriate for an outlaw or a desperado to wear as they entered a ghost town in the Wild West, on Iris it was quite a farce. But just as Aegis was reaching his breaking point he was brought back from the edge by a cold slap of reality from one of the still functioning cognitive centers in his brain. _"Again! I've fallen into another mind game! Everything she does is an attempt to throw me off balance and blind me from the duel! In this state I'm already in rough shape so I'm even more vulnerable than I normally would be! I have to do something to get a grip on the situation, something, anything I can exploit!"_

As his starting point Aegis reached into his pocket with his right hand and reproduced the neatly folded white handkerchief. With a flick of the wrist he forced the cloth to unfold and then with a surprisingly well-trained motion, shoved a corner of the cloth into his collar. Aegis bent his fingers in a talon-like shape as he gripped the handkerchief and finally pulled his hand away from the cloth with such a practiced motion it actually produced ripples in the cloth to make it into an elegant addition to his own once regal trenchcoat. For a finishing touch Aegis rose his arm up and began to undo his hair which kept his right eye hidden and with another twitch in his wrist Aegis forced the sheath of hair into standing position, bangs of hair sprawled out in the air and arching in all directions. Suddenly Aegis had transformed himself into someone who could carry the same refined air as Iris; even without the proper robes he had practiced the art of flaunting. Standing with the dignity of a noble but the scars of a serf Aegis looked like he had become the Phantom of the Opera after he was unmasked.

Now with his own gray eye glowing through the haze back at Iris' yellow eyes Aegis felt like he was making progress to even out the psychological playing field. Iris appeared amused by Aegis' change in demeanor and tipped her hat up with her finger. "I'm glad to see you're starting to enjoy things, Aegis."

"A dance like this would obviously be quite the pleasure with such a partner to accompany me." Aegis watched carefully as Iris stumbled over her words for a split-second; but long enough for Aegis to know he had turned the tables. _"Looks like if I start giving reactions that don't make sense to her I can give back some of this confusion. Let's see how far I can take this."_ Within his mind the scoreboard had suddenly gave a point in his favor; though he made sure to block out whatever Iris' score was prior to viewing the display.

"Regardless, I end my turn." Iris appeared slightly flustered, the crowd picking up on the change immediately and began to whisper.

"Try to keep up then!" Aegis gave a single glance at the new card he had drawn and immediately placed it into his duel-disk. "I'm activating my Binding Ritual to summon Dark Dust Spirit from my hand! (2200/1800)" As Aegis' spell card emerged onto the field the chains that leapt forth from it had to struggle as they approached a massive sandstorm in the sky. Latching onto something, the chains began to retract and in the process the storm ceased to allow the monster to be viewed.

The spindly red body of some strange beast struggled against the chains, countless spines along its body almost piercing through the dark steel links in the chains. Its hands were long and boney, covered up in worn out brown bandages. The beast's head whipped back and forth as it attempted to break free, its bright yellow eyes blazing through the purple haze. As its head moved it also caused its long gray hair to fly in all directions, only adding to the deranged appearance of the monster Aegis had summoned.

"Upon summoning my spirit it automatically destroys all other monsters on the field, namely your three Venom Snakelets!" As Aegis spoke a second sandstorm appeared and blew through the stadium, taking with it the three small serpents on Iris' field off into the great beyond.

"Direct attack! Demonic Wind!" Aegis wasted no time in his plays, moving as fast as he could to keep Iris off balance. And just as another dirt devil appeared, Iris reacted just the way Aegis was hoping for.

"I'll pay five hundred life points to bring back one of my snakelets, you're attack will have to go through my monster first."

(Iris: 4800 Aegis: 7300)

One of the discarded egg shell wearing snakes reappeared on the field. As it did it spat out another phantom copy of itself that latched onto Aegis' monster, dropping its strength (1700/1800). Aegis grinned at the gap growing between the life point counts and then flung his arm forward once more. "Fine, destroy the Venom Snakelet, Demonic Wind!"

A mighty blast of sand came from thin-air and ripped through Iris' monster without any hesitation, the tiny serpent shattering instantly. "I'll end my turn here." Aegis recoiled slightly at a tiny purple serpent bursting out of the stadium floor. But he remembered the abilities of Iris' Venom Swamp and watched as a second snake attached itself onto his monster, the beast losing some of its energy as it continued to fight against the chains holding it down (1200/1800).

Despite being in a rather tough situation, Iris appeared relatively calm; though Aegis began to suspect she was starting to lose some of her composure after his latest stunt. "You're not the first person to think that they could beat me by exploiting my Venom Snakelets, Aegis." From the tone of her voice it appeared that the next exchange of words in the war had begun.

"You can do better than that, can't you? I expect better moves from you, Aegis." Another shot coming from something Iris knew about Aegis. It caused some damage to his position, but a strange idea occurred to him; the last one worked well so there was a chance it would work again.

"How about we make another wager?" Aegis narrowed his eyes slightly, feigning amusement as he did so. "Each time I damage your life points, you tell me what you know about me." The challenge caused Iris to grin, her hat tilting down slightly to cover up all but her devious lips.

"If I damage your life points then you have to answer anything I ask." Aegis grimaced at the prospect, but he had already walked far too deep to pull out. Yet something in his mind told him to call off the challenge, something felt wrong.

"I accept!" Aegis immediately regretted the decision, especially when the murmuring in the stands intensified. Iris' smile widened like a serpent's. "Don't disappoint me now." She added quietly, Aegis barely able to hear the comment. _"I think I overdid it this time…But I need to figure out what she knows about me!"_

Iris gracefully plucked a card from her deck, looking at it for a moment and then addressing Aegis. "I'll be taking that first strike! I summon Venom Hydra to the field (1900/0)." A new beast began to materialize, this one being about twice the size of the basilisk that Iris had summoned at the start of the duel. The body of the creature was a deep crimson and was about five feet thick. As one traced the scales upwards the main section branched off into nine smaller heads, each one moving of its own accord as the heads hissed and twitched in the air.

"You will regret challenging me like that, Aegis. Venom Hydra, attack his Dark Dust Spirit with Venom Mist!" The nine heads of Iris' monster reared up and snapped forward, releasing rapid moving jets of black mist that engulfed Aegis monster.

(Iris: 4800 Aegis: 6600)

"While my hydra can't destroy your monsters directly, the damage will still get you." Aegis found himself regretting his hasty decision deeply as the black mist made its way up to his podium before diffusing, taking away seven hundred of his life points. "Any monster my hydra battles with isn't destroyed even if it is weaker, however afterwards Venom Counters are placed onto the monster equal to its level. If my serpents don't get you, the swamp will, won't it?" Iris laughed quietly, using her new hat to amplify her sinister aura. Aegis grunted as he watched six phantom snakes came out of the hydras' many mouths and latched onto his spirit, promptly eradicating it from the field with a surge of purple liquid from below.

Aegis' hands became clammy when he looked into Iris' ever expanding smile. The serpent had been waiting for such a catastrophic fallacy and now that it arrived Aegis would receive a full injection of poison. _"Don't tell me she was planning for this too?!"_ Aegis' hands clenched themselves tightly, fidgeting slightly in his podium.

"Tell me something about yourself after you left the dueling world, Aegis." Aegis let out a sigh of relief; the first question was relatively harmless. Still his instincts told him not to answer anything outright. Each time he could speak there would be another chance to create an opportunity to manipulate the situation, so he leapt on his first one.

"Well, I'm a travelling writer that has published a number of works in recent months that have become fairly well known in _specific_ social circles. I'm six foot, three inches, weight…undisclosed. I also enjoy long walks by the beach and candle-lit dinners with the right company. My likes include warm beds and food to eat. My dislikes include cold nights and poor economic standing." Aegis pulled on all of his willpower to speak loudly, clearly and concisely with the straightest face as possible. The crowd began to snicker in response to Aegis' terrible answer, however more importantly Iris snickered in response to Aegis' terrible answer.

"Do you always say such useless things?" Iris' smile had become notably friendlier at Aegis' joke. Defiantly, Aegis folded his arms together and lifted his head up to look down his nose at Iris before he gave his response.

"I'm a writer." Another laugh went throughout the crowd, Iris chuckling to herself as well.

"Of course, my apologies. Your turn, Aegis." Though it appeared like a meaningless exchange, Aegis was confident in what he had gained. He unfolded his arms and shut his eyes for a moment to evaluate what he had learned. "_For someone that's so good at the game she's easily distracted by these wagers. If I can keep her amused long enough she won't realize the damage I've done in time to stop me!"_

"I'll start my turn by playing Spirit's Gift. By sending a spirit from my deck into the graveyard I'll draw two more cards." Aegis flipped his deck open like a fan and began to look through the images before him. He had never looked through the deck prior to the tournament, an act mostly out of fear and respect for its original owner. Yet he couldn't help but feel foolish as most of the cards were foreign to him. Finally he found an exceptionally detailed card, pulled it out and then paused as he took note of the card's name. _"Spirit of the Betrayer? Why do I feel so strange with this card in hand?"_

Knowing that continued thought would ruin all of his efforts thus far, Aegis promptly placed the card in between his pointer and middle finger as he reassembled the deck, shuffling it and placing it back into his duel-disk. "I'm sending the spirit monster, Spirit of the Betrayer into the graveyard, and now I'll draw." Aegis noticed that he had to keep his voice rather flattened and could only show the slight inclination towards emotion to maintain his new appearance.

"That's interesting." Iris interrupted Aegis' delicate ritual of personification with an almost sing-song voice. "There's a database of all the cards printed in the game of Duel Monsters that's released to the public. Duelists in my league have won customized cards, but even those are in that database. Yet I've never seen the cards you use. How did you get such a deck, Aegis?" Aegis brought all of his determination forward to crush the powerful urge he had to flinch at the observation.

"You have to damage me again if you want an answer." Aegis strained intensely to remain calm as he could feel his deranged mind hurling the memories of his deck and its previous owner at him. Iris appeared a bit put off by the reply but shrugged her shoulders lightly. She sighed lightly and laughed.

"So I've found a trace of the real Aegis Hallow." Iris laughed yet again, Aegis feeling like he had walked into another den of serpents.

"I'm continuing my turn, Iris!" Aegis salvaged what he could to rebuild a foundation of his persona, but Iris' almost flirtatious laughing had started again. For some reason whenever she did that instead of relishing his good fortune like any male in the audience would, Aegis couldn't help but break out into a cold sweat.

"I'm honored, Aegis." It had been awhile since Iris had said something completely unrelated, Aegis supposed it was due time for something off beat. "That's the second time you've called me by my name. I noticed you never once addressed your previous opponents by name, but that's the second time you've called me by my name. You must see me on equal terms as you." Indeed something from left field had once again come out of her mouth. Aegis didn't feel very flattered, especially when he could feel the weight of jealous glares coming from all sides. Another masterfully played tactic that put more pressure on Aegis.

_"I guess this is what they mean by 'tangling with the serpent'. I shouldn't have picked one of her own games to beat her at, this is getting too dangerous! But it's definitely too late for me to back down, if she gets bored by things I'll be wiped off the field in a heartbeat…What have I gotten myself into?"_ Aegis drew his new cards and felt relieved as he saw the glint of silver in one of the portraits he held.

"I'm summoning Orpheus to the field! (1900/1600)" The mist parted for a moment to allow a silver body to appear on Aegis' field. The creature raised its mechanical limbs and straightened up to stand on level with Aegis behind him. Despite the perpetual purple haze, Orpheus' silver body still shone like a beacon, his head however was barely visible. But the black face remained, its slit eyes staring blankly forward in-between the bangs of silver hair. Attached by nothing at all, a massive silver harp rested on his back, its strings twinkling in what little light pierced the shroud in the stadium.

"Orpheus, play us a note and get rid of this haze! Discord!" The monster leapt into action immediately. Grabbing his silver harp, Orpheus reached across it with one arm and plucked at the cords to create a sharp note. As the noise rang out, a blast of lightning fired out of the instrument's strings and straight through the mist, piercing Iris' field card, shattering it and dispelling the deep purple fog. The stadium's atmosphere cleared up as the holographic mist faded away, Aegis thankful to see clearly once more.

Iris appeared slightly disappointed at what happened, but Aegis was disturbed at the lack of reaction when he had destroyed a vital piece of her strategy. Regardless he had no choice but to play into another one of her traps if he wanted to break through to her life points. "I can't attack with Orpheus after using its ability, so I end my turn."

"You're rather fond of that card…I must ask about it as well." The subtle undertones of intimidation weren't lost on Aegis, once again he became very aware of the cold sweat forming on his forehead. "But first I'll have you answer me, Aegis. I pay another five hundred of my life points to bring back my Venom Snakelet."

(Iris: 4300 Aegis: 6600)

Aegis didn't understand the move as there was no direct need to bring back the snake. Yet it reappeared, still within the confines of its tiny egg. It spat a purple replica of itself that latched onto Orpheus' right leg, but nothing happened as Venom Swamp was missing.

"Now I activate my facedown card, Venom Burn. By removing Venom Counters from a monster on your field you take seven hundred points of damage for each counter." Aegis grunted as the purple serpent on Orpheus leapt off of his silver body and charged straight for his podium. The serpent burst into flames on contact with Aegis' podium, fake fire engulfing Aegis' for a moment as he listened to his life points drop.

(Iris: 4300 Aegis: 5900)

"Tell me, where did you get that deck, Aegis?" Iris wasted no time with her reward, eyeing Aegis dangerously with her serpentine gaze. If he made another joke it was clear that Iris would make him pay dearly.

"I was given it by an old friend." Aegis replied as accurately as he could without giving away anything he guarded closely.

"Noah Ethereal?" The name coming from Iris' mouth shocked Aegis. She grinned as the man nearly stumbled over in his podium, her hat sliding forward to cover her eyes up and leave her signature smile. "I take that as a yes, and I didn't even have to work hard for that answer." Iris let her words sink into Aegis' mind as he began to franticly wonder how she knew the name.

"I want another answer, Aegis." Iris made it sound more of a command than it was a statement. Aegis began to wonder if any action he made was surprising to Iris; so far it seemed like everything he had done followed a closely scripted play that Iris was directing. "I'll bring back a second Venom Snakelet, placing a new Venom Counter onto your monster."

(Iris: 3800 Aegis: 5900)

As a second egg reappeared next to the first snake hatchling the same process as before repeated itself. The snake would poke its head out of the shell, still wearing half of the shell on its head. Then it would rear up slightly and hurl a violet snake through the air that would then latch onto Orpheus. Finally it would rest and bury itself back into the egg shell, hiding in defence mode.

"I activate the spell card, Venom Rebirth." The snake that had dug its fangs into Orpheus suddenly detached itself and flew back to Iris' side of the field. Upon reaching some destination it had in mind it erupted into a large cloud of purple smoke.

When the dust settled the snake had vanished but in its place Iris' first monster had reappeared on the field, her Venom Basilisk. The massive black serpent was coiled around itself, sitting on the ground and staring at Aegis with some malicious intent in its two red glowing eyes.

"By removing a Venom Counter from one of your monsters I can bring back a reptile from my graveyard. So I bring back my Venom Basilisk in defence mode. Also…" Iris' smile grew slightly, allowing some of her teeth to show through her lips, almost making it look like she was baring her own fangs. "Also when I activate this card you take eight hundred points of damage, Aegis."

(Iris: 3800 Aegis: 5100)

Aegis gripped the intact side of his podium tightly, his left hand drenched in sweat. _"I can't escape! She's just toying with me to get what she wants, and I'm barely hanging on! If she wanted I'm sure Iris could finish this game at any point…This is really bad…How much does she actually know about me…?"_

"For my second question, what happened to Noah Ethereal? You two were very close and he hasn't appeared anywhere in the last five years either, isn't that strange?" Iris tipped her hat up so she could look at Aegis struggling across from her. His grey eye was almost closed and as a result his scar was scrunched up, making him look incredibly distressed even hideous.

"Noah…He's…" Aegis' head began to throb as he thought of the name. His right eye began to ache suddenly and Aegis had to clutch at his head to try and catch his mind as it felt like it was seeping out of the cracks in his skull. Aegis' plan had failed dismally and he bordered psychosis instead of sophistication, the crowd pointing out the fact amongst themselves with eager gossip.

"He's…Dead." Aegis spat out the word with great difficulty, the syllables leaving a disgusting taste in his mouth as they left his throat. After answering Aegis forced everything from his mind, any thought, any idea, any goal, it had to be expelled or he knew his will would collapse from so much stress.

Iris appeared disturbed at the reply, especially considering how Aegis was acting. The crowd had become rowdy at the news, voices loudly wondering and voicing their suspicions out loud. With great difficulty Aegis found that he was regaining a grip on himself, even if it was just barely. Carefully he relaxed the muscles in his face one by one until he had regained his stoic face, though his hair had become rather messy at what had just happened.

"Continue…Your turn." Aegis spoke eerily calmly which caused the crowd to become quiet just because of how strange it was. Iris recovered her composure instantly and nodded her head slightly with a thin smile as always. "Of course."

"I end my turn then." Aegis was surprised at the sign of mercy. Iris had not even attacked that turn, but he assumed it was her way of apologizing for bringing up such a painful memory. Regardless Aegis was grateful. _"In the end I think I can understand why Iris is so good. It's dangerous to play against her…Whatever she knows, however she knows it isn't important now. Her mind games are taking their toll on me and I can't forget what I'm here for. I need to draw something that can give me an advantage…"_

Aegis paused as a cold chill went down his spine. _"…Even if I have to use Endless Night I need to win here. It's not for myself, this is something for all of them counting on me, so I can suffer a bit more if I can end this!"_

No longer bothering to maintain his façade Aegis allowed all of his emotion to surface, his face in torment as a trembling hand went to take his new card from the top of the deck. With a burst of courage he drew the card suspecting it to be the one that had finished off James Raven, but to his relief it was something entirely different. _"Maybe I don't need that after all, this may be enough to stage my counterattack!"_

"I'm activating the field spell card Sacred Burial Grounds!" Aegis inserted the card into a compartment hidden into the back of his gauntlet, the holographic projectors producing a thick fog in a similar manner to Iris' Venom Swamp. The floor suddenly became a dirt ground as well, however other than looking like a foggy field there was not much of a change.

"Next I'm summoning The White Lady in attack mode! (1800/400)" Next to Orpheus a tall figure in a long flowing white dress simply appeared, as if they had came out of the mist on the field. She had her face covered by shadows produced by a large white summer hat. Her arms were thin and pale, in her hands she carried a white parasol that rested against one shoulder. In a word the monster was haunting.

"Aegis…" Iris interrupted Aegis as he was halfway in placing his last card into his duel-disk. When Iris spoke her voice had become notably more serious, the tones that produced it seemed like they could freeze the air as the sound waves passed through it. "Does this mean that our wager is off? Be aware that my agreeing to your bet was just a kind gesture, so was letting you off with only minimal damage last turn. I can figure out what I want by other means that don't involve my wasting time like this. Now are you sure you don't want to reconsider what you're about to do?" Iris removed her hat and gave Aegis a heart-stopping glare with eyes so thin she herself looked like a poised serpent ready to strike.

"I'm tired, my head is killing me and I've been running on chemicals for the last two hours! If you want to know anything about me you can just pry it out of me by torture! Right now I'm sick of your twisted roundabout mind-games, so I'm going to smash right through them and end this!" Aegis found any attempt to control his voice and temper to be futile and wound up shutting angrily. His nerves were severely rattled by the memories he recalled and Aegis could feel himself pressed up against the limits of his willpower.

Iris didn't appear surprised or offended; instead she shut her eyes and laughed quietly.

"Then prepare yourself, Aegis Hallow." Iris placed the hat back on her head and left her slit eyes in plain sight staring at Aegis silently.


	5. Turn 5: Poison of the Mind, Part 3

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 5****: Poison of the Mind: Cure**

(Iris: 3800 Aegis: 5100)

"Don't underestimate me!" Aegis fired back at Iris with one more outburst before he slammed a new monster card onto his duel-disk.

Aegis looked up at the field with apprehension at what had done. By calling off the wager he started against Iris she had no reason to hold back against him. Worse was his wager didn't serve to benefit himself as Iris remained untouched and as a result Aegis couldn't find out how or what Iris knew about him. Iris however bashed his life points slowly to extract as much as she could, causing Aegis' resolve to shake and crumble as he was forced to recall on more painful memories relating to Noah.

His body had been severely rattled and Aegis' head was become heavy from trying to focus on so many tasks at once. Trying to keep his body upright and operational was difficult. Trying to hold back the strange things his mind was trying to make him listen to was stressful. Trying to keep himself from falling to pieces was near impossible. And trying to beat Iris seemed like it would be difficult even after distracting her with the wager. Still he had promised all of the people at the drop-in center he would win, and after raising their hopes so high by making it to the finals there was no other option but to win. _"Just a bit longer…If I just keep it together for a bit longer this will be over!"_

"If I control a spirit monster I can summon this spirit monster as well, some come forth, Heroic Spirit Freya! (2300/0)" On the other side of Orpheus a second female figure appeared. She was about the same height and build as The White Lady Aegis had on the field, but she was armed with much more robust equipment. Covered in crimson armor from head to toe, looking at the summoned monster was like looking at a knight from King Arthur's court. With a round shield in her left hand, she carried a long spear in the right hand. She also had a finned red helmet which covered her face from view, thus the only way to know the gender would either to understand the connotation of the card's name, or to see traces of blond hair peaking out from the back of the helmet. As a last detail Freya also had a pair of beautiful white feathered wings that were at rest and furled when the monster was summoned; Aegis feeling slightly serene when looking at them.

"First, I'm attacking your Venom Basilisk (1900/0) with my White Lady! (1800/400)" Iris immediately noticed the disparity in attack strength and slowly raised an eyebrow at Aegis. "Obviously I wouldn't do this unless I knew I'd win! When my White Lady attacks the opposing monster loses five hundred attack points, so attack with Feast of Souls!" Aegis' monster vanished from the field after the command. Suddenly a simulated wind picked up and the White Lady reappeared behind Iris' gigantic hydra (1400/0). With a spine-chilling cackle the apparition reached out and touched the serpent, the beast screaming in pain before it shattered.

(Iris: 3400 Aegis: 5100)

"Any damage my White Lady causes you in battle is transferred to my life points." Aegis' addition didn't provoke the reaction he wanted out of Iris; it appeared she had become just as serious as he was.

(Iris: 3400 Aegis: 5500)

"Orpheus, you're next! (1900/1600) Attack Venom Basilisk! (1700/1000) Requiem!" Orpheus prepared his instrument with one arm and with a moment to let his clunky mechanical fingers wiggle in anticipation, he struck a sorrowful melody on his harp, the tune causing Iris' monster to explode in flames. Aegis still gave himself a pat on the back for what he had accomplished, even though the monster was in defence mode when it was destroyed the act of destroying it was good enough.

"Last one up, Freya will get rid of one of your Venom Snakelets (100/0), attack with Divine Wrath! (2300/0)" Aegis smiled broadly as he watched the crimson-clad warrior charged across the field, wings at their maximum size, shield up and spear aimed straight at one hapless egg shell. "Unfortunately for you my monster can deal damage to you even if your monster is in defence mode." Aegis had finally caused a reaction from Iris, though it was a small twitch the damage was still done.

(Iris: 1100 Aegis: 5500)

"I didn't think you were this tenacious, Aegis…" Iris spoke calmly as always, though Aegis swore that she sounded slightly annoyed.

"You should know there was a reason I was in the spotlight years ago for my dueling! It was in all of the-" Aegis halted himself in mid-sentence when all of the pieces of the puzzle had just slid into place. His mouth hung open for a moment as he appeared to mimic The Scream, until he realized his own state and finally shut it. He began to slouch suddenly, lazily raising his right arm to his head and ruffling his hair.

Iris watched attentively to see what would happen next with Aegis, but he simply redid his hair to cover his right eye. Finally he removed the white handkerchief from his collar, folded it up and placed it back into his pocket casually. The crowd began to wonder what was going on as Aegis seemed to stop for no reason, yet he wasn't bothered as he leaned on his podium and then sighed heavily.

"Why the change again, Aegis?" Iris couldn't help but wonder at the cause of the sudden behavior. Aegis looked over at the woman lazily with his left eye and then shut it slowly. He gave up the false persona he had tried to use against Iris. The reduced load on his mental capacity was like a refreshing splash of water against his face; Aegis's body relaxing a bit and simply savouring the feeling of blood rushing back to his extremities.

"Like I said, it might be from not sleeping last night. Or maybe from being haunted by my own demons for so long. All of that caffeine and chemicals in me might've been the reason too when I think about it. But somehow I missed all of the obvious connections." Aegis spoke slowly and quietly, his head swaying from side to side slightly as he began to relinquish fine motor control.

"You don't know anything special about me, do you Iris?" Aegis watched Iris for a moment for a reaction. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders lightly. Aegis chuckled to himself and shook his head sluggishly, he was disappointed in himself.

"_Anyone that was around five years ago would know me and Noah because of all that publicity I got. All Iris did was pull on some of that common knowledge and gave it her own twist to make it sound like she knew more than what she really did. Because of this deteriorated mental state of mine I blew things way out of proportion, just as she hoped. If I was more rested I might've picked up on this sooner, but it doesn't matter now."_

Aegis raised his head slightly and eyed the woman as she stood quietly and watched the scene unfold. "You're very good at manipulating people. I really can't get over how good you are at it. My problem was I tried to play your game which is exactly what you wanted. Yet in the end I feel like you're not going to be a big problem after all. When I look past your reputation and that attitude of yours, you're just human like me, and you can be beaten." With a heavy sigh Aegis lifted himself off of his podium and began to stand on his own two feet once again.

For whatever reason Iris began to smile warmly at the speech, Aegis found himself hard pressed to evoke an outward reaction at another off topic comment waiting for him. "I'm only good at mind-games because I like to learn about people. So far you're the only person that I've faced who doesn't like to show himself for who they really are. A thousand different masks but never your real face." Aegis listened deafly to the words, feeling a bit tired again.

Iris chuckled at the lack of enthusiasm and put on her smile again. "Let's keep this dance going for a bit longer, I want to know who the real Aegis Hallow is after all of this." Aegis frowned at the words and shook his head disapprovingly. "I told you, I'm not having any part in more mind-games." Aegis grumbled, running a hand through his hair as a modified form of his hat adjusting reflex. He shot another glance up at Iris, she appeared satisfied with the situation, confidence simply overflowing off of her as she played with the edge of her hat. No matter what happened Iris seemed to remain unfazed by whatever came her way, actually turning most situations around in her favor.

"Alright, I'm ending my turn, returning both of my spirits to my hand and gaining a thousand life points due to my Spring of Rebirth." Aegis' ranks thinned out leaving just Orpheus standing in the desolate foggy road. The stone fountain positioned just behind Orpheus began to radiate green light and for the first time in a long while, Aegis' life points could be heard increasing.

(Iris: 1100 Aegis: 6500)

"At this time I'm also activating the ability of my field card. Whenever a spirit monster returns to my hand a Headstone Token takes its place, so two tokens in defence mode (0/0)." Two simple stone tablets then emerged from the dirt. He nodded his head approvingly and then turned his attention at the field. _"Iris has a single Venom Snakelet on the field, and she doesn't have enough life points to keep summoning them now. On my field I still have Orpheus and those new Headstone Tokens to protect me. I'm also backed up with my field card, my Spring of Rebirth and my facedown card. Well even though it cost me a fair bit of sanity it seems Iris is too late to get back into this game."_

The crowd watched with great attention, especially with such a huge lead over Iris it seemed like Aegis would come out as the victor shortly and make dueling history. Still, Aegis didn't feel confident in a premature victory dance as Iris was still calm as she lightly picked up her card for the turn. She held it for a moment in one hand and looked closely at it before adding it to her other cards. Slowly she looked over at Aegis and gave him another chilling smile before she began her turn.

"I'm bringing back another Venom Snakelet from my graveyard." The declaration took Aegis by surprise. She had less than a tenth of Aegis' life points yet she was still throwing them away haphazardly.

(Iris: 600 Aegis: 6500)

The crowd however didn't share the same sentiments. A hushed whispering went throughout the masses, one that didn't appear to wonder why Iris was bringing herself so close to an early end. A second tiny eggshell wearing snake appeared next to the first. And as usual a purple snake was spat out and latched onto Orpheus' silver body promptly.

"Next I'll tribute my two monsters to summon Vennominon, the King of Poisonous Snakes! (0/0)" Iris' voice became much more powerful as she gave the command, Aegis taking a few steps back at the sheer force of her voice. Suddenly it didn't seem like his defence would be enough to withstand Iris' coming storm.

Taking the place of her creatures was a single entity that stood at twice the size of a normal person. Iris' monster had the lower body to a serpent but wore red and purple robes that were attached to a large chest piece formed from the bodies of coiling green serpents. From beneath the cloak masses of coiled serpents emerged, the structures resembling arms with fingers formed by the heads of the serpents that had wrapped around each other. The chest piece also had a golden headpiece that was fashioned to resemble a serpent with its mouth open, within the opening was the creature's true head, a small green reptile face with fangs and slit red eyes.

The crowd had resigned themselves at the monster's summoning, Aegis felt like he was back in the duel against James when he had summoned Death to the field, except the situation was reversed. He found himself worrying again at the mass reaction as he didn't know what the implication meant for him. So he looked to his opponent for the answers, though that was also nerve-wracking.

"From the look on your face it seems you don't know this card." Aegis nodded silently, his face a bit red from embarrassment. "The first thing you need to know is that Vennominon gains five hundred attack points for each reptile in my graveyard. With eight of my serpents in there, well, you can figure out the rest, can't you?" Iris smile suddenly appeared to have a bit of a sinister feel to it. Aegis nodded his head slowly at the news; it meant he was staring down something with 4000 attack points (4000/0).

"As I'm still curious, Aegis, the wager can still continue in which case I will give you a few more turns in this duel. If not then…" Iris laughed quietly, her hand tracing the rim of the hat she took from Aegis. The man leaned on his podium once more and then promptly stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at Iris.

"I told you! I'm sick of your mind-games! I don't care what you have up your sleeve, but I'm going to beat you, put an end to your spotless record and without you prying into my business!" Aegis felt proud of himself for standing his ground, though he felt somewhat concerned when Iris actually looked unhappy for the first time in the entire duel.

"Tenacious indeed. Or maybe this is who you are without all the masks. First I play my Venom Blast spell card. By discarding a card from my hand I can destroy a card on your field, so I will cut off your life-line and destroy Spring of Rebirth. To activate this card I'll discard my last Venom Snake." From the ground below the fountain on Aegis' field, purple mist began to seep out furiously. Without any other warnings the fountain burst into flames, its serene grace being consumed in fire before it shattered. "As a novelty if I discarded a reptile monster to activate thus card I can place a number of Venom Counters equal to the discarded monster's level on any monster on your side of the field." Three more phantom serpents burst from the ground where Aegis' fountain was and dug themselves into the Orpheus' back, though if it bothered Orpheus there was no reaction on his face to indicate so.

"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider, Aegis?" Iris parted her lips as she smiled to reveal her teeth to Aegis. Though he felt his knees starting to shake under her gaze he still shook his head, much to Iris' disappointment. "As another serpent ended up in my graveyard Vennominion gains five hundred more attack points (4500/0). Now attack Orpheus (1900/1600) with Snake Legion!" Iris' beast literally shot its left arm at Orpheus. The serpents unwound in mid-flight and latched onto Orpheus' body with their fangs out, digging into the silver metal and cracking it. In a mighty explosion Orpheus was wiped out from the field. Vennominion's arm quickly grew back after the attack, or perhaps more serpents just took their place where the arm was.

(Iris: 600 Aegis: 3900)

"I'll set a card facedown and end my turn." Iris took to leaning on her podium, elbows resting on the metal surface and fingers interlaced together. Aegis nodded his head and drew his card quietly. In all honesty he was exhausted from straining his mind with ways to play the mind-games and other paranoid scenarios that varied in the extent of how much Iris really knew about him. As a result his body began to feel heavy, his legs weighed down in spot and his arms screaming in exhaustion to be dropped limply to the side. Aegis let out a pained breath and did his best to keep his body and mind combined, lest the two fall out of synchronization and Aegis collapse to the floor.

"What's wrong? Why so quiet?" Iris still seemed keen in provoking some kind of reaction to exploit. Aegis sighed heavily and then closed his eye, a hand going to the bridge of his nose and massaging it.

"No more mind-games." Aegis muttered blandly, Iris laughing and shrugging her shoulders lightly. "I'm summoning my White Lady (1800/0) and then I'm summoning Heroic Spirit Freya by her effect as well! (2300/0)" Beside the tombstones on Aegis' field the two ghostly entities reappeared. "Next I'm going to activate the effect of my Sacred Burial Grounds! Even though I control two Headstone Tokens which allow my spirits to stay on the field, I can also send one back every turn. So I'm recalling Heroic Spirit Freya to my hand to create a new Headstone Token." As the crimson knight vanished a third headstone sprouted out of the ground to take her place.

"Now that I have three Headstone Tokens I can tribute one of them to bring back a spirit monster from my graveyard and put it into my hand. So I'm returning Spirit of the Betrayer!" Aegis reached into his duel-disk to pull the card from his graveyard, feeling a strange kinship with its image. As a result he took a moment to study the image on the card. On it was a man dressed in red armor with his arms out and head rolled back howling to the heavens above. A strange portrait, but one that appeared as generic as any other card.

_"Something is definitely strange about this card…I never saw Noah use it either so where did this come from anyway? Not like I'll need it if things go well, but I might as well keep it ready." _Aegis gave the card one more look before he finally placed it into his hand. "Alright I'm going to activate Binding Ritual from my hand to bring back my Dark Dust Spirit! (2200/1800)" Aegis grinned weakly but at the same time with a quiet confidence. However he noticed the crowd did not cheer or gasp at the defining moment of the duel, something was wrong but he continued regardless.

As Aegis' spell card appeared on the field the chains shot down into the earth instead of into the sky, dragging with them the red spindly body of the creature as it continued to struggle against its restraints. A sandstorm began as the spirit settled, sand and dust hurling through the stadium and engulfing Iris' beast. "Even though I destroy all of my monsters in the process, I'll deliver the final blow and end the game, Iris!" Aegis still felt like something was wrong as the crowd began to mutter amongst each other.

However Aegis' progress remained constant, Iris' monster shattering in the sandstorm, nothing disastrous presented itself. When the sand vanished from the air Aegis got a clear view of Iris, only to shrink under her marvellous smile.

"Even if you don't want to play my games, you still seem to wind up in all of my traps. By destroying my Vennominion you've activated my trap card, Rise of the Snake Deity!" Aegis knew that there were only a few instances when effort was made to actually create machinery that could shake the dueling field. Only high end stadiums would have such equipment, and only the most devastating cards in the game would actually invoke the machines to make the stadium rumble. Judging from how he felt like he was in an earthquake Aegis was fairly sure he would see one of the few cards that could meet the criteria of game-ending.

"By the effect of my trap card I can summon Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes (0/0). Prepare yourself, Aegis Hallow. I wonder if your burning soul can overcome this." Iris voice was completely sincere, her smile was gentle, face pleasant, yet Aegis felt horribly afraid.

From the earth a mass of royal blue serpents emerged, writhing and twisting through the air. As more of the creature emerged it was revealed that the serpents were attached to the head of the monster in a similar fashion to Medusa. The head was mostly covered by a large golden band with an emerald in its center. Two large red eyes rested under the piece of jewellery, an eerie inhuman glow came from them. Still more of the creature was rising from the ground, now two thick arms formed by thick ravelled snake bodies appeared. Instead of hands two massive scaled serpent heads were in place, hissing and snapping their jaws. Finally the rest of the body pulled itself from the abyss, the creature's body being a massive winding thick serpent's tail that coiled up.

"Alright…You made me seasick with it, what's that thing do?" Aegis was hunched over his podium with sweat rolling off of his face, feeling ill and somewhat intimidated by his elegant opposition.

"Like Vennominion, Vennominaga gains five hundred attack points for every reptile in my graveyard (5000/0). But that's not all, you see my deity cannot be affected by any card, and if you somehow can overcome my monster in battle I can remove a reptile monster from the game to bring my deity back." Iris appeared to find the explanation somewhat boring and had taken to examining the back of her hand in boredom. Aegis looked up into the air at the towering monster in front of him, yet despite the impending danger he couldn't help but feel interested in trying to beat something so gargantuan.

"Indestructible with 5000 attack points…" Aegis straightened up, stretched out his arms and gave a yawn. "I think I could take it." A small faction in the crowd suddenly burst out in cheering and hollering at Aegis' reaction, and for once Aegis was pleased with his audience. "I can't do anything about my Dark Dust Spirit now, so I'm going to end my turn."

"That stubbornness of yours is charming, but ultimately rather annoying." Iris mused quietly as she drew a card. "You know what's coming, so Vennominaga, the Deity of Poisonous Snakes (4500/0) attack Dark Dust Spirit (2200/1800) with Fatal Ichor!" Iris' titan raised one of its snake arms, pointing it at its victim. The serpent at the end of the arm opened its mouth, releasing a blast of purple miasma which engulfed the tethered spirit. A howl of pain came out of the poison and then traces of polygons could be seen coming out of the gases, Aegis bracing himself for the overflow of damage.

(Iris: 600 Aegis: 1100)

Aegis grunted as the stadium gave another lurch from the attack. However he also noticed that his podium had become covered in almost vein-like structures that pulsated a deep crimson light. He placed a hand on the veins and found his hand passed right through it, Aegis felt relieved at his discovery. _"I thought something like last time was happening again…Still whatever this is it can't be good for me."_ Aegis looked up at Iris for an explanation. She noticed his gaze and then chuckled lightly; apparently there was something she left out of her explanation when the monster was summoned.

"Don't worry, your podium won't explode. Whenever Vennominaga damages you a Hyper Venom Counter is placed on my monster. If three of them are on my card then I automatically win the game." Aegis didn't appear too distraught over the news; it would only take one more hit from Iris' monster to finish the game anyway. "I'll set a card facedown and end my turn. Do your best now, Aegis."

Aegis mumbled something under his breath, doing an exaggerated imitation of Iris as she gave her last words of good luck. Iris laughed playfully at Aegis; apparently she didn't feel offended in the slightest at his gesture, which only furthered Aegis' annoyance.

"Are you always so calm about everything?" Aegis couldn't help but ask the question that was trying to leap off of his tongue for the entire game. Iris laughed and smiled, tilting her head slightly as she did so.

"Of course, aren't you?" Aegis grumbled at the response and drew his card in silence. He studied the card he had drawn and then looked onto his field. His only cards were his Sacred Burial Grounds field card which produced the scenery for him, but was ultimately useless. Then he looked at the card that he had set at the very beginning of the duel. It had lay forgotten hovering over the field at least until Aegis drew his card.

"Indestructible, with more attack points than any card I've seen so far, and it can automatically end the game in three turns. Somehow I feel like something like that would take away all of my hope to win…" Words were slowly coming out of his mouth without any control or intervention from his own body, a quiet confidence had taken over him and was making his body operate by a will outside of his own. "But maybe it's just my luck this one time, so I'll go with it. I'm going to activate my facedown card, Grave Marking! For the three spirit monsters in my graveyard, I can summon three Grave Marker Tokens to my field (0/0)."

Three small obelisks came out of the earth, Aegis grinned slightly as he looked at what was the start of his final counterattack. "By sacrificing my three tokens I can summon Spirit of the Betrayer! (2900/2500)" _"I didn't need to use this card, but there's something strange about it. Noah never used it in our duel, but here it is. I need to see it for myself." _Aegis tuned his sense into his right eye to see if any change had occurred in it. As he placed the card into his duel-disk he expected his eye to begin to hurt, or even bleed, but nothing.

The three stone obelisks faded away, their demise bringing a thick shroud of fog to the field. It was impossible for Aegis to see Iris any longer, or even the audience around him, he had been completely isolated from the rest of the world by the fog.

"Aegis, what have you done?" Iris called out curiously through the fog; however she still seemed perfectly calm and not worried in the slightest. Aegis grumbled to himself at her willingness to accept anything that happened and found himself a second short of responding when a heavy footstep stopped him.

Another footstep followed the first one, Aegis becoming acutely aware that the sound was coming from directly behind him. Though he knew he was in the real world where only holograms existed, Aegis found himself hesitant as he turned his head back to see what he had actually summoned.

From the mist a tall man came walking out. Dressed in red eastern armor that resembled a dragon the warrior slowly approached his position on the field. His armor was worn and had many notches and cuts through the material, however it still maintained a regal appearance. The armor was a bright red with golden chains running across the man's chest ending in a golden dragon's head on the left shoulder. On his back was a single blade with a handle attached to it, it appeared to be a rather simple sword. A second sword was attached to the man's waist, resting horizontally against his lower back.

The warrior came startlingly close to Aegis, striding right next to him but not doing anything else. Yet Aegis was reeling as the hologram passed him, his face etched with horror. The fog thinned out to its original levels, allowing all to see Aegis' prize monster. The warrior had assumed his position on the field and stood in place silently, arms folded and waiting for a command like the true soldier he embodied.

Aegis could barely conceal his distress, his face tense and a desperate scowl carved into his face. Iris noticed it immediately and was rather confused, until she looked at the monster Aegis summoned. She tilted her hat forward slightly to only leave her smile in view and then pointed out an observation that many others in the audience were starting to notice.

"He has the same face as you, Aegis." Aegis' spirit stared straight forward coldly with his one good dark brown left eye; his right eye had been injured somehow and was a milky white, a large scar tracing a gash which ran down the right side of his face. The warrior even had the same hair as Aegis, an ebon black that lay in strands which fell over his face.

"It's your imagination." Aegis had thought the same thing as Iris, and he found it difficult to cover up that fact. Aegis' mind began to race wildly, the implications of the card to have such a name, to look like him, it meant something much more. Aegis found himself running out of breath rapidly, his head flooding with the tormented thoughts he had struggled so long to force out of his mind.

Aegis' body felt numb the entire day. He had done his best to avoid feeling the impact of his memories and even went as far as numbing his own perception of the importance of the duel he was in. At the same time he found himself able to fight Iris with his own two feet he found it felt empty without being able to find solace in Noah's memory. He had even tried to pull on his old friend's memory to lend him strength at the beginning of the duel, but his mind betrayed him and the act was rendered impossible. Aegis had some inclination as to why his body would betray him in such a way, but he never pursued the thought. However, with that final card in his duel-disk he couldn't deny why he found it impossible to recall Noah.

"_It's my fault you're dead."_

Aegis collapsed on his podium, eyes shut tightly as he could no longer hold back the torrent from breaching the forefront of his mind. Waves of sorrow crashed back and forth in his heart, his body limp and lifeless.

"_They call this the Shadow Realm. Here the__ intangible becomes real, Aegis. Here you can give form to even your soul!"_

He finally knew why the card never appeared when Noah used it, that single card was the form Aegis' very own soul had taken. Aegis could feel hot tears forming in his eyes, streaking down his face. The salty liquid feeling like it could burn his skin off until his entire face was scarred.

"_Aegis…If you do this…"_

"_It's over, Noah! DIE!"_

Aegis felt hollow. His only friend in the world, the only person that would stand by his side throughout all of the trials and tribulations, and it was his fault Noah was dead. Lost to the shadows forever, left to suffer. He had done all he could to deny he was the murderer. It took all of his willpower to run away from the past and to block it out of his mind. But time caught him and was crushing him with the weight of his actions, the proof rested in the small card in his gauntlet. The anguished scream that Noah gave when the final blow was delivered, it was horrific and haunted Aegis like Death's icy grasp. He could feel himself being consumed by the darkness in his heart, a sensation that froze every nerve in the body and claimed all trace of life for the abyss. The world around him became blunted, the sound of the confused crowd was becoming quieter, the warmth of his coat was foreign to his skin and his own breath had become nonexistent.

"You are forgiven." Iris' tranquil voice suddenly broke through the torment in Aegis' mind, all of his senses instantly restoring themselves at hearing such strange words.

For whatever reason Iris seemed to say something that was almost prophetic in how accurate it was. Aegis wiped his face off with his left sleeve and then lifted his head up enough to look at his opponent. She had taken off Aegis' hat and placed it on the podium. Her arms were folded and she had her eyes closed rather peacefully.

"What…Did you say?" Aegis swore that Iris had lied to him last time and really did know something more about him. A familiar feeling of panic began to mix into the depression and sorrow that was churning in the depths of his heart.

"You said those cards came from your deceased friend. For whatever reason one of them came out like this." Iris motioned towards Aegis' warrior with a lofting motion from her left hand. "I'm sure that there is a very interesting story behind it all, maybe you two argued and you said something you didn't really mean and then Noah died. But from where I stand you can be forgiven." Aegis hated how well Iris could read anything about him, almost figuring out everything from a single glance. Still he began to piece together his sanity with her reassurance.

"Leaving the dueling world so suddenly and then coming back to it when it clearly tortures you immensely. It can only mean you're here for a very good reason." For the first time in the duel Aegis found Iris' smile welcoming and as a result he could feel the cold hand gripping his heart loosen.

Aegis nodded his head stiffly, starting to become aware of his dramatics and how the crowd was chatting feverishly. Pleased with herself, Iris opened her eyes slightly and replaced the dark blue hat on her head. "Don't disappoint me now."

Even though Iris didn't understand the whole situation, the advice was the support Aegis needed to bring himself back onto his feet. His body still felt numb and lacked any real feeling. It felt like it was by the will of some supernatural force that his body could lift itself off the edge of the podium and back onto its own feet. Aegis looked at the back of his monster as it stood on the field. _"I said I could withstand a bit more for the sakes of everyone counting on me. I can worry about this…Later."_

"I'm grateful for your advice, but I'm afraid this is where I end this duel, and this entire tournament!" It took considerable strength to muster a collected voice, but Aegis surprised himself with how powerful his voice was. "I'm activating the spell card, Light from Beyond!" The instant Aegis played his card a blinding light came rushing out from behind him that caused Iris to hide her eyes with the edge of her hat.

"By discarding a spirit monster I can give one spirit monster on my side of the field the ability to attack your life points directly! It doesn't matter how powerful your monster is when it can't protect you!" Iris appeared to remain emotionless at the turnabout; however Aegis assumed it was because she had the majority of her face covered due to the light.

"No matter how much you've suffered that love of the game still burned in your soul, didn't it?" Iris spoke quietly, Aegis suspecting some unhappiness from Iris. He nodded his head instead of giving a verbal response. Parts of him still wanted to find a reason to duel again. Aegis laughed quietly to himself at how paradoxical of a person he was; it was nearly impossible for him to keep track of all the contradictions he had made in the last forty-eight hours.

"Spirit of the Betrayer (2900/2500), with the power of Light from Beyond, attack Iris' life points directly! Twin Blades of Torment!" Aegis' warrior gripped the handles to each of his swords, pulling them out of their sheaths with a masterful motion. He paused momentarily, assuming a battle stance before whipping the blades free from their restraints. The spirit grunted and began to charge forward, right at Iris' deity. A moment before the two would have made impact the warrior vanished.

Suddenly the light produced by Aegis' card ceased, Iris looking up from her podium and into the face of Aegis' monster. The spirit had both of his blades poised and ready to cleave through Iris, looking down on her with his emotionless gaze. Iris looked intrigued and slightly amused as she studied the many scars on the battered holographic face. Finally she laughed to herself just as the warrior sliced through her body with his false swords.

(Iris: 0 Aegis: 1100)

Aegis collapsed onto his podium once more, this time out of relief. Somehow despite his poor mental state, all of Iris' mind-games and the tortured memories he was trying to escape from, somehow he had beaten the very best.

"I'm afraid no matter how kind I am, I am still the best for a reason, Aegis." Iris seemed jubilant, smiling radiantly at Aegis, making him recoil and sweat profusely.

"I activate my trap card, Cross Poisoning." Iris tipped her hat to show Aegis the malicious glint in her bright yellow eyes. "Whenever I take battle damage, you take the same amount. I'm afraid you won't be the one that hands me my first loss. Albeit I will give you credit for making me settle on a draw." Iris appeared slightly annoyed at the idea of having something other than a win on her record; as a result her gentle features twisted for a moment into a chilling glare that made Aegis' knees shake momentarily. _"Don't be too proud, right?"_

After being struck by Aegis' monster a tidal wave of purple liquid came rushing out of the earth on Iris' field. Aegis found himself shrinking at the torrent that approached him and instinctively covered his head with his arms as the tainted water engulfed him.

(Iris: 0 Aegis: 0)

The crowd's reaction was mixed. A portion were cheering for Aegis' accomplishment, others were unsatisfied with a result that was anything but a decisive victory for one side, and some simply remained mute as they tried to figure out their own opinion of the situation.

Aegis' stomach twisted in dread. He was so close to winning against Iris, but she made sure to have a contingency plan ready if Aegis had a way to topple her deity. The duel had already taken a heavy toll on Aegis as he could feel the effects of the caffeine and stimulants wearing off and the full extent of his body's exhaustion was taking hold of him. On top of his bodily handicaps Aegis' shaken mental state made it difficult for him to carry out a simple play, there would be no possibility for him to plan out entire strategies or defend against Iris' mind-games if she decided to play them again.

"Well…This sure is unexpected, folks!" David's jittery voice came on the intercom, the crowd not paying any attention to him and continuing their own discussion.

"But as this tournament was already extended by a day we may not have the time for a rematch." David received a blast of booing and even a few thrown concession packages at his head; apparently no one felt like giving the messenger a break. "H-However! If the duelists truly wish to continue than we can try-"

"This is acceptable." The crowd instantly silenced itself as Iris spoke. Even Aegis was shocked to hear Iris was alright with the results. However Iris seemed uninterested and was examining something on the sleeve of her black jacket instead of acknowledging the countless stupefied looks from the stadium. Considering how she nearly made Aegis faint from her glare he felt that Iris would press for a rematch. However he didn't want to press his luck further and promptly nodded his head; fearful that if he spoke it might change Iris' mind for whatever reason.

"Well look at that, she's pretty and a real good sport too! A real class act, don't you think so everyone?" David recovered his status with the crowd as quickly as he lost it, working the audience into a blind frenzy of shouting and cheering. Aegis leaned on his podium, grumbling to himself about the audience.

It was all over and Aegis had no more control on the situation. It dreaded him to think of what to do about the drop-in center's plight as he never expected a draw. The distribution of the prize money would be decided by the judges he assumed, which made him feel awful. All of his work could be for nothing if the judges decided unfavourably. Aegis shut his eyes wearily and listened weakly to the noise from the crowd, entertaining as many paranoia induced scenarios his mind could come up with.

An hour later the stadium had been cleared out. David had gotten both Iris and Aegis to wave and smile at the crowd to keep the people satisfied. After it was over the duelists were taken to a waiting room in the lobby. Aegis felt absolutely dreadful and took the time to rest, falling asleep the instant he let his body rest in a chair.

David then came for the two, giving Aegis a good shake to jolt him out of sleep. Aegis frowned at being woken so quickly, but the act of sleeping seemed to fix all of the loose connections in Aegis' mind. He was his usual self, face stoic, talking in his flat tunes and moving a little slower than the world around him. More importantly his mind had set itself in order and was clear of the tortured thoughts that had persisted for nearly two days.

"Alright, no one really planned for the finals to end in a draw so you two will have to come to an agreement in how the prize money for first and second place will be distributed. The easiest way would probably be to-"

"Give the money to Aegis." Iris wasted no time to cut off David, and strangely she didn't appear the slightest bit hesitant either in handing the sum of money away. Aegis thought he had enough surprises for a day but he had been dumbfounded and had his mouth gaping wide open.

"T-that's real nice of you, Iris, but why are you giving away all that cash?" David asked the question that filled the room's atmosphere. Iris chuckled and folded her arms casually, she appeared proud of herself for confusing the two.

"Before the match a few kids approached me." The implication of Iris' explanation was not lost on Aegis as his eye widened for a moment as he pieced together what Iris would say next. Iris shrugged her shoulders lightly, turned to the side and folded her thin arms together. "I thought they wanted my autograph or something like that. But instead they told me how you were trying to win the tournament to keep a homeless shelter open throughout the winter, so they asked me to lose on purpose. I must admit their pleading faces moved me. I might use a deck full of poisonous snakes, but it doesn't mean I don't have a heart."

Aegis was speechless, the goddess of fortune had smiled on him many times that day, and it seemed that Iris' smile would be very similar to what that goddess' smile would look like. A warm feeling rushed through his body and he returned the best smile he could muster in return. "I…Don't know what to say…"

"I didn't plan to keep the money even if I won, but I wanted to see what kind of person you were, Aegis. So I hope you don't mind that I indulged myself a bit." Suddenly Aegis felt that Iris' smile was a bit less than sincere. Then a thought occurred to him and he began to rifle through his pockets. Finally he produced the white handkerchief that he had won in the wager against Iris.

"Here." Aegis offered the cloth back to Iris. She looked carefully at it for a moment, and then took it from Aegis' open hand. Iris placed it back into her jacket, appearing pleased with the transaction. Aegis wasn't, his hand still out and clearing his throat slightly.

"Yes, what is it, Aegis?" Iris' voice found a new innocent tone as she replied. Aegis flinched for a moment, in the back of his mind a bad feeling had sprouted and was spreading its roots to other parts of his mind.

"My hat. I gave you your handkerchief back, so I want my hat back." Aegis eyed the hat on Iris' head the entire time he spoke. Iris hummed thoughtfully and leaned in closely to Aegis, her face entering an inch of his own. Aegis felt himself blushing, a churning feeling returning to his intestines. It wasn't a brief encounter either; Iris stared for a long time with her bright yellow eyes at Aegis' face. Then she parted the hair covering up the right side of his face with her hand, studying the entirety of his worn face. Aegis didn't know what to do as his mind blanked out on him, his body freezing up like a statue.

There were many finer points and feelings that a man would experience had someone else been in his position. Iris was a lovely looking lady, yet Aegis had something completely different on his mind. In coming so close to him, Iris had also brought his hat back in arm's reach as she still had it on her head. While she was distracted Aegis decided it would be his best chance.

Just as Aegis made a swipe for his hat, Iris spun away from him to avoid his grasp. And before Aegis was aware of what was happening Iris had armed her duel-disk and pressed its blade-like attachment against his neck. Aegis froze instantly at the cold sensation against his jugular, lowering his eyes to watch the device nervously. Aegis began to wonder if Iris had the old Battle City styled duel-disk made for the one purpose of threatening people. The model's production ceased because people had begun to use its weapon like appearance as an actual weapon.

"My, my. Didn't I win your hat in your wager? No one said we had to give back our prizes, it just so happens you did, isn't that right, Aegis?" Iris' smile was as serene as always. Aegis desperately wanted to protest, but his body would not let the words come out of his mouth, instead remaining fixated in place and sweating.

"Yeah…Funny how that works out…" Aegis exhaled his compliance very quickly. Iris chuckled to herself and then removed the duel-disk from his neck, the device separating and becoming dormant. Aegis collapsed into a heap on the ground, actually panting to try and catch his breath.

Laughing to herself, Iris readjusted her hat smugly, just to infuriate Aegis. However he had a feeling that unlike with Iris' situation, David would restrain him if he drew the blade on his gauntlet's duel-disk. That and he wasn't sure if he had the energy to try and duel-disk duel someone that looked like they could be a professional fencer.

"Oh, Aegis?" Iris paused as she walked away. Aegis' gut instinct told him something strange was about to come out of her mouth. "If it makes you feel better I got a good look of your spirit's face. I think you're right, it was my imagination. You look much better than that." Aegis found himself only able to make slight utterances that resembled words, but nothing that could be considered coherent language. Something strange and unrelated came out of Iris that made Aegis feel horridly conflicted as it usually did.

"Well…Aegis." David decided to make himself known after Iris turned a corner and vanished from sight. "Look at it like this; you just sold your hat for a lot of money." David laughed at his own joke, though it ceased rather quickly as Aegis stared up at him mutely.

"It's still my hat, and I want it back." Aegis grumbled under his breath, burying his face in the collar of his trenchcoat.


	6. Turn 6: Contract Forged From Steel Part1

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 6: Contract Forged from Steel****: Fine Print**

"Aegis! Aegis! What should I do now?"

"Play this monster, then activate this card."

"Ahh! Aegis! What should I do now?!"

"Set this card and play that monster-no in defence."

"Aegis, what do I do now?"

"…Play this card and attack with that one."

"AHHH! Aegis! I lost the game!"

"Urrrrgh…"

Aegis slumped over, his head being full of the loud cries of victory and the agony of defeat from about a dozen ten-year olds. It would be the fifth time in the last three hours that the cycle had concluded.

Two children would seek him out asking for help against the other. Aegis would then agree to help both of them so as not to create disparity between the opposing sides. Then each turn Aegis would give out advice to the active player which would foil the other child, and then it would repeat, Aegis offering the best advice he could to then foil the move he directed. The back and forth exchange would continue until Aegis' guidance resulted in someone's inevitable demise. Then the winner would cheer, the loser would cry and Aegis would be caught in the vocal crossfire.

The most recent game had directed lasted about twenty minutes and drawn the biggest gathering of children in the drop-in center. After the game concluded Aegis had let his legs fall limp and his body to crumble into a heap on the ground, only catching himself to prevent his head from hitting the linoleum tiled floor. Aegis grunted and with a slight effort he folded his legs together and sat up, propping his head up with his left hand where he placed his chin.

His left eye shut for a moment. Aegis' mind felt sore from having to work so long. A weary sigh escaped his mouth, shoulders heaving at the action. Aegis slowly reopened his eye, his body only allocating enough energy to raise the eyelid halfway. Slowly he shifted it to his right hand as it lay idly on the ground. His trenchcoat sleeve was scrunched up a bit at the elbow leaving his dark silver gauntlet in plain sight. The metal was slightly marked up from light scratches and general wear and tear. There was no longer any point to concealing the device, apparently after the first day of the tournament every single person from the shelter went to see Aegis' match in the finals. As a result everyone knew who he really was; Aegis Hallow, the dueling prodigy from half a decade ago.

Aegis paused for a moment and let his mind meander wherever it pleased. Iris Lifian. That woman had been diving in and out of his mind for the week following the end of the tournament. Because of their unorthodox duel Aegis had forfeited his favoured royal blue travelling hat to Iris. Though he won her 'maiden's favor', a simple white handkerchief, unwittingly he returned it to Iris thinking that after the duel they would return the rewards. He was wrong.

Still Iris had given him all of the prize money for first and second place for his cause. Because of her kindness the drop-in center had enough money to survive the city's harsh winters. There was enough money to last four months with a little left over for extra things the shelter needed. Aegis was floored at the display of generosity, but in retrospect most things Iris did or said surprised him. A rather nostalgic feeling breached the surface of his heart. Aegis had made it a finer point of his dueling career to help the unfortunate. Often the prize money he won was donated to charity or other needy people. Possibly a result of something from his childhood growing up he assumed.

Another memory leapt onto his train of thought, derailing it rather nicely. Aegis' face reddened as he recalled some of the more detailed features to Iris' face. Her thinly pressed pink lips forming a rather charming smile. Iris' complexion was fair, though it was slightly imperfect with a few blemishes; Aegis thought it made her have more of a human characteristic instead of being some sort of untouchable figure. Iris' face was so close to his own that he was able to catch a light scent of perfume that came from Iris' elegant hazelnut colored hair. Though ultimately he found most of his attention was drawn to her bright amber colored eyes, the coloration so potent her eyes almost glowed in a dimly lit room.

Starting to feel the burning of his own cheeks Aegis became aware of his childish thoughts and furiously shook his head. It was embarrassing and rather melancholy to think that he had developed a crush. Aegis grumbled and decided to chalk it all up to being caught in the foolish fandom that seemed to follow in Iris' wake.

Yet despite his story getting a happy ending, it came with a price. Twice during the tournament Aegis lost control of himself and succumbed to the raging sea of emotions and turmoil within his soul, causing two rather large and unflattering displays in front of thousands of spectators. Furthermore the many homeless people and the shelter's volunteers had seen the displays. So as a way to try to repay his efforts, Aegis was approached by about every person in the shelter as they were trying to get him to talk things out or other psychological therapies that they had learned or heard about.

The sentiment was heart-warming and did help Aegis feel better. In his match during the finals one of his darker memories had resurfaced after being repressed for the better half of the last five years. The painful memory of being the man who killed Noah plagued Aegis, looming over him like a black cloud. Still, he was surrounded by about a hundred supportive people, though most looked pretty rough and weren't very refined they tried to support him nonetheless.

The children began to view Aegis as some sort of all-knowing Duel Monsters expert; an avatar of the gods of the game almost. Unfortunately that implied he was the person that all the children would go to for help and advice in the game meaning the amount of solitude and privacy he had plummeted. Aegis couldn't find the heart to turn down any request from the kids, which meant he had no time to try and write something to submit to his editor. The prize money had went entirely to the homeless shelter, Aegis refused any of it based on principle which left him back to where he started in the world; homeless and without a penny to his name.

Aegis sighed again and ran his hand through his black hair slowly allowing his fingers to study the sensation of each hair as it went by his skin. He still felt rather strange knowing there was no warm velvet upon his head. Suddenly he remembered something else and turned his head to look across the room, specifically at a duffel bag he owned which was in a pile of other bags.

He had made it rather clear that he was distressed over losing his hat to Iris. Also Aegis made it rather clear that he was not in the mood to discuss his inner demons with anyone; though many people insisted that he should confine in them. So as the final act of repaying Aegis' hard work, he began to receive hats. He had received many hats that came from many places in the world, representing almost every major culture as well. Aegis didn't really want any other hat than his own as it was a matter based on principle, yet he couldn't reject the kindness either. The result was a new hat on his head everyday with a full reserve that could make a hat shop envious.

"Aegis, Aegis!" The cries of his next venture were beckoning for him. The same two children he had just tutored were racing over to his side. It was more than likely that they wanted to have a rematch with his help. Aegis could feel his face drooping and sweat forming on his forehead; he really didn't want to see another card for quite awhile.

"Now I think you've bothered Aegis long enough." Salvation came in the form of a light woman's voice. Aegis spun his head around to locate its source directly behind him, to his relief Maria had come to save him from the endless cycle.

Maria guided the children back to the lingering crowd that the last game produced. Aegis breathed out a sigh of relief, muttering an utterance of gratitude to some greater force which saw fit to spare him. Maria returned to Aegis' spot on the floor and crouched down to be level with him.

"Are you doing alright today, Aegis?" Maria was one of the few people who still tried to make him talk about what troubled him during his matches. Aegis appeared slightly uncomfortable, feeling smothered by the constant worrying but he told himself it was because he was important to someone else in the world.

"Yes. Just a bit tired." Aegis cracked a smile and chuckled. Still the reaction didn't please Maria, her smile fading into a frown. Whenever Maria made that face at him it felt like someone had jabbed a corkscrew into his heart and gave it a good twist. Somewhere along the way she perfected the art of pouting and invoking guilt in her audience, able to radiate a child-like aura with baby blue eyes.

"Really, I'm alright! I just need to get to writing, that's all." Aegis waved his hands around aimlessly in a bid to relieve his guilty conscience. Maria's expression lightened up slightly and she nodded her head, the corkscrew unwinding itself slightly.

"You're still retired I take it?" Maria inquired curiously. Aegis paused for a moment and nodded his head.

"I won the prize money, the shelter is open and now I fade back into obscurity while writing for my livelihood. That's good enough for me." Aegis' explanation had caused the corkscrew in his chest to drill into his heart as Maria appeared heavily troubled by his statement.

"That's so sad, Aegis!" Maria sounded as distressed as she looked. Aegis recoiled across the floor with a hand out to try and halt her before she could fire off into a lecture which would batter his conscience like a blender. Suddenly his back struck something that Aegis swore was not there before. Maria took notice of what had happened and got back on her feet, looking suspiciously past Aegis and at whatever he bumped into.

Aegis turned his head around to find himself staring at a pair of legs wearing nicely ironed black dress pants; apparently he had bumped into a person. He moved away from the stranger and then pushed off the floor to stand up and get a chance to evaluate the new face.

It was a man that Aegis encountered, wearing a standard business suit with a red tie. The man was middle-age, thinning black hair and beady brown eyes, a natural ringer for the white-collar business man working an eight to five job.

"Aegis Hallow?" The man spoke in a rather solemn voice that seemed to be a bit exasperated.

"Who wants to know?" Aegis tried his best to play dumb, though it was more than likely the man knew exactly who he was, most of the city did.

"The mayor wants to see you in his office." The reply was curt and annoyed Aegis because of the lack of politeness. Then the meaning of the message sank into Aegis' mind causing a chain reaction of speculation in his mind. It was a rather nostalgic feeling to think of dealing with politicians. Before Aegis left the duelling community he had been a popular mascot for the city, upperclassmen all wanting him to endorse something or to cut a deal to improve sales somehow.

"Tell him I'm not interested." Aegis quickly went on the offensive with his eye narrowing and hands shoved into his pockets defiantly.

"He says it's an important issue. It has something to do with this shelter I believe…" The man didn't say it outright but as his voice trailed off it was clear that Aegis was not to be given a choice in the matter. Defeated, Aegis cursed under his breath and looked to the ground, conceding his defeat.

"Good, there is a car waiting for you outside." The messenger turned slightly and motioned to the door.

"Wait, I'm going with you too." Maria leapt back into the conversation with fierce determination. "If it has something to do with this shelter than someone from here should go too!" The man appeared unhappy with the additional member but Aegis had regained his fighting spirit as he folded his arms and glared at the man. The suit grunted and then nodded his head, he didn't want to keep his boss waiting.

The man turned and began to make for the door, Aegis following from a fair distance. He looked over at his travelling companion and felt slightly better. He never got used to dealing with the pressuring tactics and would often start losing ground as he was forced to listen to unreasonable requests and try to find some opening to break away.

Maria noticed the look she was receiving and returned it with a faint smile. "I figured you'd want some backup. I've heard that Mayor Winston isn't a very flexible person."

David Winston, the mayor of Spirare. Aegis was aware he had been re-elected for another term in office for his work on improving the city's infrastructure, prolonging his regime. He didn't know very much about the mayor but anyone that overspent a yearly budget and took the money out of homeless centers was going to be ranked rather low on Aegis' favorite peoples list.

As Aegis pushed open the heavy metal doors a rush of sunlight momentarily blinded him. Aegis had become accustomed to the dim fluorescent lights of the center. To avoid the media frenzy that was created after all that happened in the tournament, Aegis remained at the drop-in center where those who stayed or worked there promised to keep quiet.

Aegis squinted and grunted a little bit. With a few blinks Aegis' eye adjusted to natural light, the gentle sensation of the sun made his body ache. It was too long since he got to see the sky. That elegant sky which he came to love in his years of travel was the only constant comfort he had. Still, the bitter chill of winter was the first sign that the clear sky would leave him for many months before it returned. Slowly Aegis rose his head to look up at the afternoon's sky; grey and dreary, covered in massive clouds. There was no hint of the heaven which lay beyond it.

Pausing for a moment, Aegis reached into the inside of his trenchcoat with his right hand and felt around for a moment. Feeling the correct texture he pulled his hand out along with a hat.

"_Black bowler today it looks."_ With a tiny smirk at the thought Aegis placed it upon his head with one hand. It just didn't feel the same.

Stepping out from the black car, Aegis and Maria found themselves standing in front of City Hall. A modern building which was shaped like a black spire with glass windows spaced out along it. The building appeared to be 15 floors tall which was impressive for a single political building. It was rather intimidating to look at, instead of some political building it was more like a headquarters for evil-Aegis paused as he ran back the last thought he had and then chuckled. Maybe there wasn't a difference after all.

"Please follow me." The man who had picked up Aegis was stiffly walking into the building with large strides. Maria frowned at the lack of courtesy being shown, Aegis sharing the same sentiment. Squeezing through the rotating doors after the suited man, Aegis began to shout for him to wait. The man grunted and looked rather displeased by the request, but halted nonetheless. The duo caught up with no further difficulty, but then they realized the scenery around them.

The interior of City Hall was brightly lit and built entirely out of marble. Aegis took a step forward and found that the ceiling above opened up and allowed one to look straight up to the very peak of the building. Each floor was circular in shape with the massive hole in the center that served no purpose than other than to be aesthetic.

"I know a few places the money they spent lavishing this place could have gone to…" Aegis growled, Maria nodding her head as well.

"Try to keep calm when we see the mayor. If it has something to do with the center then…" Maria's voice trailed off. Aegis' head cooled itself, heart and mind turning to stone to prevent any unhelpful emotions from interfering.

"I know. We worked too hard to risk the safety of the center like this." Aegis' voice was low and flat. It was time to meet the man of the hour.

The two were led into an elevator with the businessman standing in front of them with hands folded over his stomach. Simple music played for the ride to the top floor, Maria fidgeting nervously as she cleaned her glasses or adjusted her hair with the faint reflect in the polished metal walls. Aegis lazily turned an eye to the wall nearest him, catching a glimpse of his own reflection. The bowler he wore was rather strange for him. But with his attire it could pass off as normal, his trenchcoat made him appear like an aristocrat from the twenties, just lacking the monocle to place over his eye.

The elevator emitted a ding and gave a jolt as it came to the proper floor. The metal doors rolled open to a hallway with a number of doors on either side. The man strode out the door and along a red carpet placed on the ground. Aegis found that he had begun to be self-conscious of his own appearance after the reflection in the elevator. Soon he had joined Maria in the fidgeting and rapid arm motion used to remove the creases from his clothing as Maria did her best to tidy up her hair.

As they did their preparations on the move Aegis became aware of how close they were to the railing that prevented one from falling to the ground 15 stories below. His nerves were starting to rattle the joints in his knees and a fluttery feeling was pulling at the insides of his stomach. Finally the walking stopped, the man opening a door that read: "Mayor David Manfred Winston". For whatever reason, Aegis couldn't help but feel repulsed at the name fore it caused him to remember the smug James Raven. Regardless Aegis didn't show his disgust and just kept it bottled up for another time.

The suit motioned for the two to enter, Maria entering the mayor's room first with Aegis still a bit apprehensive. The mayor's room was furnished with oak furniture, book cases and photos of a redheaded young man shaking the hand of or standing next to other men and women. A few meters away from the door was the mayor's desk, covered in papers and with a gold name plate that just reiterated the man's name.

Sitting in a nice leather chair sat the mayor. A rather youthful looking man who was in his forties that kept himself in rather good shape. Wearing the same business suit as the man that sent for Aegis, had he not known better the man in the chair would be lumped into the same category of being a simple white-collar. The really only differentiating feature the man had was bright red hair which was gelled into place.

"You're quite hard to find, Mister Hallow." Mayor Winston spoke with a smooth, almost charismatic voice. Aegis frowned at being addressed formally, a conditioned response from the duel with James.

"After that tournament I know the papers have been hunting high and low for you." The mayor appeared to be amused at the idea for whatever reason. Aegis slowly walked forward towards the desk.

"You see I noticed that one of the shelters was still with power while driving through the city a few days ago. So on a hunch…Well, the rest is history. Sit down, Mister Hallow." Mayor Winston motioned to a chair off to the side in front of his desk, Aegis silently seating himself. Aegis then looked back to see that Maria was left standing awkwardly by the door. The mayor noticed the unhappy look on Aegis' face and then motioned for her to sit down in a chair on the other side of his desk. Still, the act didn't improve Aegis' opinion of the man before him.

"What did you want with me?" Aegis response was curter than he intended and instantly caused a frown on his host's face. Maria looked nervous at the awkward silence that proceeded after. The mayor leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk; arms folded and look at Aegis very carefully with his emerald eyes.

"You know of the Millennium Tournament I assume?" Mayor Winston spoke slyly, narrowing his eyes slightly as Aegis did his best to conceal his reaction.

The Millennium Tournament was as prestigious as the Olympics. The tournament was held once every 4 years like its athletic counterpart, calling thousands of duelists from all corners of the globe. Only the best would have the ability to enter for a chance at being declared the best in the world. The winner would then be immortalized in dueling history and embellished with enough money to never work a single day for the rest of their lives.

Aegis didn't mention it because it was rather embarrassing, but he had always dreamed of winning the Millennium tournament. It was a childish dream that many duelists had, but only a few would ever come close to even being considered for an invitation. Even with the bad feelings around dueling, a chance at the Millennium Tournament was therapeutic in itself, casting aside the torment around his cards and their previous owner.

"Yes, of course you've heard of the tournament. Well you see it will begin in a month in Europe." The mayor smiled as Aegis' face lit up. A million radical ideas were coursing through his mind with blinding speed, but they were all focused around him walking into the stadium of the biggest tournament in the world. Just entertaining the thought fired something up in Aegis' heart, the urge to scream and shout with all his strength just to burn off the overflowing energy was hard to suppress.

"Originally James Raven was to represent Spirare. But after seeing _Aegis Hallow_ returning to the world of Duel Monsters, and beating our representative and tying with the favoured Iris Lifian…Well, you could imagine what a man in my position would do." Mayor Winston leaned back in his chair, reclining as he watched Aegis struggle to remain stoic, a broad smile curling his lips upwards against his will.

"So what does this have to do with the drop-in center?" Maria spoke up quickly before Aegis could respond. It was probably for the best as his head was in no condition to make an informed decision. The mayor looked bored as he redirected his eyes to Maria.

"Well if for whatever reason Aegis were to refuse…Knowing that the center can be self-sufficient I feel that the occupants should pay for all the fees of operation and not just some of the utilities." Maria was startled to hear such words coming from the mayor's mouth. Even Aegis' euphoria was cut short when he heard the threat.

"That is only if Aegis were to refuse. But you don't, do you?" Aegis nodded his head rather jerkily. The way the mayor so easily wrote off the shelter was keeping Aegis head from floating off into another fantasy. He decided it was for the best in his situation, he needed to be aware of any possible clauses or fine prints that could tie his hands into something he couldn't get away from.

"But only if you keep the shelter open." Aegis got an idea and decided to run with it. "I want the shelter to be turned into a proper homeless shelter that can provide for the people there. Not some abandoned building that will get torn down in a few months." Aegis wasn't sure if had overstepped a boundary as Mayor Winston remained dead silent after the demand.

"If you can place in the top twenty-five percent, and beat out Mister Raven in the standings, then I will consider it." David looked over his nose at Aegis. He wasn't happy with the condition as it would be extremely difficult for him to place so high, but there would be no choice but to accept.

"Yeah, deal…So James is still entering?" The unpleasant taste left by the name was something along the lines of battery acid.

"Of course. Even if you beat him it would be unreasonable to reduce the number of duelists coming from Spirare." Mayor Winston seemed amused by the rivalry unfolding before his eyes. Aegis frowned at the news, but it did make perfect sense.

"Stay put, Mister Hallow. In a week I will send someone to pick you up and take you to the airport. Then they will escort you to the tournament site and a place you will stay for the tournament. In the meantime I suggest you prepare yourself. If you can use that Death card of yours I'm certain you can bring home the title to Spirare." Aegis flinched at the mention of the card. The idea of entering the Millennium Tournament wasn't enough to keep his fear from clutching his heart. Still, Aegis resolved to overcome his terror, in the end it was no more than a card.

Aegis nodded his head obediently and looked to his companion. Maria appeared unhappy, but able to accept the situation. Mayor Winston extended his right hand to Aegis; apprehensively he extended his metal clad hand in return. With a firm shake the deal was sealed and Aegis could feel the giddy joy sink in; he was going to get his chance at winning the Millennium Tournament.

A loud crack suddenly shattered the moment. The door to the mayor's office had been smashed apart, half of the door on the ground with the rest still just barely hanging on its hinges. With another swift kick the remaining piece joined its brother on the carpeted floor.

Standing in the doorway a young teenage boy was glaring angrily at the trio. He appeared to be around 18 years of age, rather tall by most standards actually. He wore faded blue jeans with a ripped and torn jean jacket to go with it. A top a youthful head was a mess of pointy dark brown hair that appeared to never have known the teeth to a comb. The boy's eyes were narrowed dangerously, glints of crimson peeking out from his eyelids.

"Mayor Winston! You're not hiding behind your secretaries and your meetings anymore!" The man raged, behind him the suit who had escorted Aegis and Maria to the office lay on the ground groaning. Aegis flinched when he looked into the face of the youth, his muscles seizing up and his stomach twisting around itself. His body became numb and he began to sink into the folds of his chair to try and avoid being spotted.

The mayor stood up from his chair and hastily intercepted the teenager in his advancement forward.

"So you're Vincent? That boy who has been protesting the plans to demolish that dilapidated nursing home in favor for a new highway? The boy that has been sending my office angry letters for the last month and has been harassing my employees?" The mayor was unfazed by the display of sheer brute force the youth possessed. Striding within a foot of the boy as he glared at him coldly.

"That's right! I know that you're just forcing them out to some trashy apartment down the street! Why do you even have to waste time with some stupid road when you're messing up the lives of other people?!" Vincent didn't appear worried or like he even cared about the power the man before him had. He raged on regardless, arms waving in the air and spit flying out of his mouth.

"The matter is already settled, I've made it perfectly clear already that the senior citizens are alright with the plans. Now I will ask you to leave politely before I have you escorted out by force. As you are not aware, I was in the middle of concluding business with quite a prominent man." Mayor Winston dismissed Vincent with ease, an almost practiced speech which could siphon the fighting spirit out of anyone.

Vincent growled angrily, almost looking like a caged wolf. Aegis shut his eyes tightly during the exchange, hoping that he would go unnoticed. However what the mayor had said made Vincent curious, as a result he looked up towards the desk with the two unsettled people still seated in the chairs around it. Maria appeared rather frightened at the boy, especially considering how he entered. Then his eyes found their way to Aegis as he was pressing himself into the folds of the seat to try and hide.

"YOU!" Aegis knew it was over. His body gave up its attempts at vanishing into thin air, the feelings of dread and guilt cleaving through every fibre of his body.

Vincent brushed past the mayor and made a dash at Aegis' seat. Without any input from his empty brain, Aegis' body lifted itself off the chair and turned to face Vincent's charge. Though he saw the motion before it even began he did nothing to halt it, a terrifyingly strong right hook connecting with the side of his head. Aegis' vision was instantly shattered, his whole body being taken off the ground for an instant and sent crumbling against the mayor's mahogany desk, knocking papers and pens to the floor.

Maria flew to Aegis' side, sitting him against the desk where his head simply flopped around to either side for a moment, the bowler hat lying at his feet.

"I will not have you assaulting anymore people, security!" The mayor shot into the hallway and shouted for assistance, the noise of footsteps stomping along the floor as they approached the office.

Vincent stood over Aegis, glaring down at him with eyes burning from hatred. Maria moved his lifeless body away from the vicious man; she wanted to fight back but was too afraid to do so.

"Well?! Got anything to say to me, Hallow?!" Vincent was fed up with the lack of a response and roared at the man so loudly it caused some of the picture frames to rattle. "I heard that you were back, it made me furious. I was much happier thinking you just went and died. So why is it a loser like you is seeing the mayor?" Even though Vincent's voice became quieter it was still saturated with his fury.

Aegis remained motionless, for a moment Maria believed he was unconscious until she noticed his dark brown eye was still open and blinked occasionally. Though he had suffered a heavy blow from his attacker it appeared Aegis was not too badly hurt. Yet he remained silent, not even putting up a fight; thus Maria decided she would try on his behalf.

"Aegis is not a loser! He's even going to the Millennium Tournament next month!" Maria regretted raising her voice when she was on the receiving end of Vincent's hateful gaze.

"You?! Someone as worthless as you?!" Vincent's next verbal beating was cut short as two large men rushed in, grabbing each of his arms and lifting him off the ground. Vincent fought against the men, legs kicking wildly as his head whipped from side to side.

"Get rid of this delinquent! He's caused enough trouble; throw him into jail for all I care!" Mayor Winston appeared undignified for not kicking Vincent out immediately. However the men had difficulty in holding him back, Vincent getting a grip on the floor with his feet and able to hold his position for a moment.

"HALLOW! Duel me right now! A person like you is totally worthless! I will send you back to hiding like the rat you are! I will make it perfectly clear that you are unfit to even think of the Millennium Tournament, AEGIS HALLOW!!" Vincent's efforts at breaking free redoubled for an instant, but were ultimately overpowered. Slowly Vincent was being led out of the room. Aegis had not given a response, yet the gears in his mind were slowly ticking away.

There was no logical reason to accept such a challenge. By accepting the duel he could very well be shown to be incompetent if a simple thing as a bad hand befell him. There was no reason to accept. It was Aegis' dream to compete in the Millennium Tournament; the city would even sponsor him to compete. There was no reason to accept. If he did well in the tournament it would also mean establishing a permanent shelter for the homeless where hundreds would be safe from the cold and be able to find food. There was no reason to accept.

"I accept." Aegis finally spoke. His voice was gritty and barely more than a whisper, but the second he parted his lips Vincent stopped struggling. The men restraining him looked to the mayor for an answer. Mayor Winston shook his head and rolled his shoulders slightly.

"I'm not the victim here, he is. If Mister Hallow will humor this child then I'll allow it. Ten minutes from now you can have this duel on the main floor. I will be watching you, Aegis." The mayor appeared to have had enough of the madness and left the room, his security guards leaving with Vincent in tow.

For a long time Aegis sat against the wooden desk, Maria next to him shocked to hear him accept such a challenge. She wondered if it was caused by arrogance, yet from how Aegis looked it was a horrendously wrong guess. Aegis' shoulders slumped, his arms lying at each side like noodles. He had yet to even raise his head and was staring at his stomach ever since he was struck.

"Aegis…Why on earth did you say yes?" Maria was desperately trying to find an answer to the reckless behavior. Still Aegis remained motionless, but finally gave a shake of his head after a minute.

"I said I owed you one story. So I'll make it this one." Aegis spoke slowly, more remorseful than he usually did. Carefully he stood up with some support from Maria; the stinging in his cheek was causing a dull pain to ache throughout the bone in his face that made it difficult to focus his mind. Carefully Aegis began to walk towards the door, Maria following closely behind him.

The floor was empty, the mayor and associates were long gone and probably either looking for a duel-disk or some way to keep their intruder in check for the upcoming duel. The sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the area as they approached the elevator doors. Aegis sighed heavily, shook his head and then raised his head up enough so he could look back at Maria.

"Five years ago I was caught up in a dispute between the people in an apartment complex and this corporation." Aegis's voice was barely more than a low growling, his shame causing the low vibrations in his vocal chords. "This company had bought the land the apartment was built on; they were going to tear down the complex so a new branch of the company could be built."

Aegis paused to board the elevator, Maria sliding in after him. She looked over at the man for a moment, his hand pulling down the top of his hat so as to cover his face.

"You don't know this about me, but I did a lot of charity work in my dueling career. So…They called me in to try and use my reputation to sway the debate." A cold chill went down his spine and spread out to the extremities of his body. "Well, the guy who attacked me lived in that building, Vincent Vesarius."

"So…What happened?" Maria made sure to stop Aegis' spiral of self-loathing before it went too far. He snapped out of his trance and shook his head roughly. Sluggishly Aegis looked over at Maria and studied her face with his milky silver right eye which peeked out through the separated bangs of hair.

"In the end we made a bet. If I did some endorsements for the company and then won a local tournament being held a week later, then the apartment complex wouldn't be demolished." Another sigh and a heave of his shoulders. "Well, something happened the week before that tournament and…I never went. I abandoned them." Silence filled the room after Aegis finished his story. Maria was somewhat shocked to hear Aegis' sin, a few floating ideas coming together and filling in holes in other explanations she wanted.

"Is that why you duelled in the tournament last week? Because you didn't last time?" Maria was rather hesitant in asking, for whatever reason she didn't feel like she wanted to know the reason.

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't part of the reason…" Aegis looked away from his companion and to the ground. His eyes fell to the carpeted floor of the elevator, he was revealed, and he knew how hideous he really was.

"Later I heard that apartment and even the neighbourhood around it was levelled and built over top of. In that respect I can understand why Vincent hates me so much." Aegis remembered the young boy's face back then. It was about the same time of year when the incident occurred. Five years ago Aegis was 17, yet he proudly tried to carry as much of the world on his shoulders even then.

The memory of a few hundred men and women standing outside of the apartment in the cold autumn weather, waiting for him and Noah to arrive that afternoon. They were greeted by the superintendent of the building, the situation explained to them in great detail as they stood around the two men. Noah laughed and gave Aegis a slap on the back, throwing his arm around his shoulder in the process. Noah declared that the apartment building would be standing until the end of time; and that Aegis would be the one who ensured it.

Feeling the power of the moment he agreed wholeheartedly and began to cheer with everyone. Then a little 13 year-old boy came out of the crowd and felt so grateful that he even gave him a hug. Aegis was taken aback by the gesture, feeling rather embarrassed. The boy looked up at him with big red eyes and thanked him profusely for working so hard to save the home he had grown up in. Aegis nodded his head and then spoke the words that would forever seal his fate.

"_I will protect everyone!"_

And then…

Aegis' world crumbled just days later, the life-shattering incident that had cost Noah his life would strike a mere three days after those words were uttered.

In the process Aegis had forgotten about the promise he made to the young Vincent. Over the years his failure had left its mark on Vincent. It was horrible to see the face of his past return and haunt him. Yet, it seemed inevitable, it was destined.

The elevator dinged as the occupants reached the main floor, two metal doors sliding apart to allow them off. Maria placed a hand on Aegis' shoulder, stopping his mindless marching forward.

"Aegis, are you sure about this?" She was probably worried for the sake of the shelter as well as his own sake, he thought. Aegis searched his mind for an answer, finding none there he devilled into his heart, yet nothing would come to him.

"We're going to find out." Aegis' reply was the only truthful answer he could give. He began walking forward once more, emerging from the shadow cast by the floor above it. All around him people had gathered from the upper floors and were leaning off the ledges to stare down at the circular ground below. Aegis removed the bowler hat he wore and placed it into his jacket.

Maria broke off from Aegis and took a spot next to a pillar where Aegis would duel. Mayor Winston had taken to an aerial seat, standing on the floor above the duelists. Aegis armed his duel-disk, the blade shooting out and glowing.

_"This is for the sake of my dream! I…Even I won't give up this chance!" _

With great difficulty and dread he brought his head up and finally let his healthy eye rest on Vincent. Years of anger and hatred towards him had bore fruit to the man before him. His jacket alone told a tale of street fights and rough nights spent out late doing lord knows what. His red eyes had turned vicious; they made Aegis' blood halt, his heart stopping and never restarting. The child that once gave him a hug had turned into a soldier. On his arm he had a standard issue duel-disk that was armed long before Aegis arrived. Vincent held the device as if it were a rifle in his hands.

_"So this is what happens when you run away from the past for so long. It finds you with a vengeance."_

"Hallow, you still remember me, you loser?!" Vincent wasted no time in continuing where he left off. Aegis had no words left in him, instead he stared blankly forward. "That's what I thought! Fine, it's time I send you back to hiding for another five years!"

_"A debt made by cards must be settled with cards…"_

(Vincent: 8000 Aegis: 8000)


	7. Turn 7: Contract Forged From Steel Part2

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 7: Contract Forged from Steel: ****Null and Void**

(Vincent: 8000 Aegis: 8000)

"I'm going first, Hallow!" Vincent shouted fiercely as he whipped a card off his deck. "Hallow…I used to look up to you as a kid. But now I know the truth, you're weak!" Aegis flinched at the insult, for some reason being called weak bothered him more than every other insult Vincent threw at him in the 15 minutes after they met.

"I'm playing the spell card Solitary Swordsman! I can summon any warrior from my hand or deck to the field, so I summon Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris in defence mode! (0/2000)" In front of Vincent a tattered tan colored cloak appeared in the air, swirled around and then was whipped away into oblivion by a hand that came from within the folds of the material.

Standing at seven feet tall a warrior clad in deep blue armor emerged from the cloak. The armor itself was cracked and began to fade away in some parts, becoming lighter and bordering gray in some areas. The design of the suit made the man look like he came from a science fiction novel, the armor being rather blocky and formed from separate metal segments. The man had a long face whose features resembled a wolf with a thin nose and two slit ruby red eyes. Adding to the wild appearance of the warrior was immensely long black hair that branched off into long strands at the front with a single ponytail that fell down to his waist.

"I can't summon any other monsters if I have my swordsman on the field, but it doesn't affect me, my swordsman is my only monster!" Vincent's declaration was almost boastful, Aegis found it strange how he was so confident with only a single monster in an entire deck. Vincent noticed the confused expression on the man and laughed coldly.

"After you abandoned us, I learned the truth of this world. And that truth is that you can't depend on anyone! So I spent all these years relying on my own strength, I don't need anyone to try and help me, and neither does my swordsman!" Aegis tried his best not to wince at the explanation. Deep down in his heart he felt the bitterness of having it confirmed that it was his fault that Vincent was so hateful. It troubled him deeply, to the point that he wanted to fall down to his knees and beg for forgiveness; but that would be impossible.

"I'm activating Sonaris' effect! If I discard a card I can place a Swordsmanship Counter on him. For every counter my monster gains 1000 attack points! (1000/2000)" A sheathed katana materialized on the back of Vincent's swordsman. Then he slammed two more cards into his duel-disk with enough force to crack the casing of the device. "Two cards facedown, try and make it past the first turn, Hallow!"

Silently Aegis pulled the top card off his deck, his soul chilling as he saw it: Endless Night. The trap card that invoked the shadows and Death itself. Aegis' fear was starting to overtake his hand, the limb trembling. However he recalled what was on the line, losing would destroy his only chance at his dream! A chance to compete in the Millennium Tournament! _"Not anymore…This card, Death won't terrorize me! I won't hesitate to use this card and end this if I have to! Sorry, Vincent, but this means too much to me!"_

"I summon Occult Cultist in attack mode (1500/1800). With his effect I'll add the field card, Sacred Burial Grounds into my hand, and then play it immediately!" As a dark blue cloaked hunchback appeared on the field, so did the entire floor's structure change. Fog rolled in from all directions and covered the entire floor in a gray haze, the ground below turning into a stimulated dirt cemetery.

"I'll set a facedown card and end my turn." Aegis eyed the card he set as it materialized in the air. He was worried about how well he could duel with so much emotional stress on him. The move screamed that it was a trap, Vincent probably wouldn't fall for it, but if he did it would destroy his monster and allow Aegis to unleash a spiritual bombardment.

"I'm throwing out another card to give my swordsman a second counter, next I'll switch him into attack mode (2000/2000)." Aegis was surprised to see Vincent's move; it was too foolish. Aegis' setup was obvious to all watching the duel yet it didn't bother Vincent. _"He has something planned…"_

A second sheathed sword appeared on the back to Sonaris, Vincent smirking as the weapon adhered itself to his back. "For each counter my monster also gains special abilities! With one my monster can deal you piercing damage, with two anything it destroys has its effect negated! Sonaris (2000/2000), cleave apart Occult Cultist with Fatal Strike!"

The blue swordsman gripped one of the weapons on his back and drew the silver blade, the instrument glowing in the mist. Then it charged for the robed figure on Aegis' field. At that moment Aegis' soul ignited, the move seemed to be a sign of inexperience. In the recesses of his mind he felt like it would be possible to bury the past by the end of the duel.

"I activate Spirit Light! By discarding Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi I can give all 2800 of his attack points to my Occult Cultist! (4300/1800)" Aegis' trap was sprung, and the sight of a monster with such high attack power had caused the audience to clap; a rather dignified variant of cheering he would receive in a stadium for the same move. The robed figure produced a silver chain with a metal hexagram attached to it, then shook the metal and created a shockwave in the air that honed in on the swordsman.

"It doesn't matter how strong a loser is, they're still a loser!" Vincent roared at Aegis, the hatred was evident and rattled Aegis' bones. "I activate my trap card, Metalmorph! Now my swordsman gains 300 points, as well as half the attack power of any monster it attacks! (4450/2000)" Aegis was stunned at the turnabout, his sense of confidence leaving him and being replaced by worry.

The swordsman slashed the air apart, the shockwave being dissipated in an instant. Then with his sword arm rotating, the warrior wound up and sliced diagonally through the cultist. Two halves of the robe drifting apart in the air before breaking apart into light.

(Vincent: 8000 Aegis: 7850)

"So where's your cheerleader, that Noah kid who always follows you around?" Vincent exchanged his loud tones for low growls. Aegis tightened his fist when Vincent mentioned Noah, he could feel a burning heat bubbling up inside of his soul.

"He's dead." Aegis hissed. Vincent laughed and rolled his shoulders, rage starting to blind Aegis. It took a substantial exercise of self-control to keep from lashing out against Vincent; somehow his guilt wasn't bothering him very much anymore.

"I won't have you disrespecting Noah like that!" Aegis found that his grating voice had turned into a thunderous blast; Vincent appeared momentarily stunned by the outburst. Aegis took the chance to fire off his cards without having to deal with the verbal back and forth for a moment.

"I activate Spirit's Gift! By sending Inaba White Rabbit from my deck to the graveyard I'm drawing two more cards!" Aegis glanced at what he drew and sneered at Vincent. The second he had disrespected Noah, Aegis felt no obligations to the past, or the messenger that came from it.

"Now I play Binding Ritual to summon Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi from my graveyard! (2800/2900)" From the green spell card massive black chain links shot into the earth and pulled an enormous dark-skinned man from the soil. The spirit only wore a purple cloth around his waste to cover himself, the rest of his muscular body was in plain sight. Atop of the spirit's head there was no hair but instead an inferno which lit and parted the mist on Aegis' field.

"Because I have a spirit monster on the field I can special summon Heroic Spirit Freya in attack mode! (2300/0) And then with my normal summon I summon The White Lady! (1800/400)" Aegis' field quickly populated itself as a haunting white silk dress seemingly drifted into place, a parasol in her hands which covered the face of the beauty. Then a crimson clad knight with large white feathered wings descended from above to land next to Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi.

Vincent scowled at the army, disgusted by the numbers. Still Aegis continued and inserted a final card into his duel-disk. "Because I control at least two spirit monsters I can also special summon my Spirit-Binding Construct in defence mode! (0/2000)" Behind the three spirits a massive bronze suit of armor materialized. The suit of armor had nothing holding it together but instead was almost possessed by something as all of the appropriate pieces floated into place to stand up as a soldier.

"Like your swordsman, my construct gains abilities depending on how many spirit monsters are on my field! With three on my field I can draw an extra card from my deck!" As if to add insult to injury Aegis was even restoring his resources after making such an impressive counterattack. His spirit army had even made Mayor Winston clap, chuckling to himself.

"Understand two things, Vincent! The past is the past, even if it's you I won't let you steal my dream away!" Aegis spun the situation around and suddenly it was him that was on the offence and barraging Vincent with a vocal onslaught. After letting out so much of his fury he could feel the storm within him calming down. It was for the best as his voice was going hoarse from shouting. With his usual quiet and gritty voice he continued speaking.

"The second is that I will never allow someone to dismiss a man as great as Noah! It's time I made you understand that with his cards! With this deck! With his soul!" Aegis threw his left arm out and pointed accusingly at Vincent's swordsman.

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi (2800/2900) destroy Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris (2300/2000) with Inferno Punch!" The chains binding Aegis' behemoth of a spirit loosened and allowed him to fire through the air with his left fist igniting in bright flames.

"For someone that should be so good, I don't know why you'd do something so stupid! Mirror Force, activate!" Vincent's facedown card rose and revealed the mighty trap card. A reflective dome appearing around him and his swordsman. Aegis smirked and shook his head at Vincent, wagging his finger side to side with amusement.

"I activate my construct's ability again! If I have at least two spirit monsters, I can tribute one to negate a spell or trap card!" With a firm voice, Aegis stated his reasoning and smirked as Vincent began to growl. "I send The White Lady to the graveyard, and now you will be defenceless!" The ghostly woman faded into nothingness, the bronze construct raising an arm and releasing chains from its fingers. The metal links pierced Vincent's defence and wrapped around his trap card, constricting around it until it shattered.

With the path clear, Aegis' monster was unimpeded in its charge. The swordsman, Sonaris drew a single blade and parried the earth-splitting punch, but in the process the sword he had used to defend with shattered into fictitious metal shards.

(Vincent: 7500 Aegis: 7850)

"By removing a swordsmanship counter I can prevent the destruction of my swordsman! (1300/2000)" Vincent appeared frustrated to have his plan foiled. However the crowd of politicians and businessmen were impressed with such a masterful play by Aegis; they approved of sending him to the Millennium Tournament to represent Spirare.

"It won't be enough! Heroic Spirit Freya (2300/0) attack Sonaris (1300/2000)! Divine Wrath!" Unfolding her wings the valkyrie glided through the air and jousted at the swordsman with a massive silver spear. The swordsman drew his final blade and halted the weapon's progress with the cutting edge of his sword. The two paused in time for a moment, and then Freya bounced back after the second blade shattered.

(Vincent: 6500 Aegis: 7850)

"Because of my construct Freya will remain on the field! However, since you were struck by Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi you discard your hand before you draw!" Aegis felt a strange gratitude in reminding his opponent of the fact, another round of applause at such a well calculated move.

Vincent haphazardly tossed away the single card left in his hand without any regard, then pulled a new card off the top of his deck. "I was right about you, Hallow. You're nothing without someone to hold you up! Pathetic! I'll show you how powerful I am without having to rely on some maniac!" Aegis wanted to slam his fist into Vincent's face, but he knew that would only result in arrests and charges flying left and right.

"I play the spell card, Sword Forging! With it I can add two equip spell cards from my deck to my hand and I'll add Katana Ying and Katana Yang to my hand! But I can only activate one of them this turn so I'll equip Katana Ying to my swordsman!" A black sheathed katana appeared on the swordsman's back, the warrior drawing the blade immediately, the weapon was similar to its predecessors but its blade was formed from a beam of light.

"While equipped with Katana Ying, my swordsman gains 500 more attack points, as well as the ability to double attack! It even supplies my swordsman with a counter every turn when it doesn't have one! (1800/2000)" Aegis narrowed his eyes, he had to admit that Vincent could put up an impressive fight with a single monster.

"Since my swordsman is still equipped with Metalmorph I can easily overpower your Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi! (2800/2900) Now attack (3200/2000) with Fatal Strike!" In the blink of an eye Vincent's swordsman covered the distance between itself and Aegis' spirit. Halting for a split second to spin the katana around in his hand, the warrior cleaved straight up and right through the hulking spirit.

(Vincent: 6500 Aegis: 7250)

Vincent smirked and then pointed at defending bronze armor. "Don't forget! Sonaris can attack once more and pierce right through your defences and slash apart your life points!" With an arrogance the swordsman flicked his wrist and slashed through the bronze armor without any effort, Aegis swearing he saw a thin smirk on the swordsman.

(Vincent: 6500 Aegis: 6950)

A dangerous whispering crept through the audience, all of them suspecting Aegis' inevitable end. Vincent rebelled in the backlash Aegis received, empowered by the turning tides. "You will always be weak, Hallow! Even now I bet you're still using some poor soul for a crutch! Unable to walk with your two legs, you're absolutely worthless!" Aegis faltered at the attack, his fighting spirit crumbling. He couldn't help but look sideways at Maria who stood near the duelists, partly concealed by an ivory pillar. Vincent noticed the direction of Aegis' eyes and laughed harshly.

"I'm right, aren't I, Hallow? Is she more damaged goods like that loser Noah? Just finding worthless people so you can feel like a big man, isn't that right, Hallow?!" Vincent's latest accusation had intensified the whispering around them. People wondered about the implication of the statement, who _was_ this Noah anyway?

"That's enough!" Aegis struggled to keep his voice calm, though it came out as nothing more than a childish whimper. "Leave Maria out of this!" Almost on command, Aegis' mind was starting to be overwhelmed by the less favourable memories of Noah he had locked away. There was an inclination of truth to what Vincent said, but Aegis felt so repulsed at finding pieces of himself believing it.

"It's my turn! I'll draw!" It was becoming difficult to hold back the hesitation that was tearing at his resolve. Aegis' hands were starting to tremble, more so in his right arm than anywhere else.

He looked at the card that came from the deck, feeling as if his loyalty to his deceased friend had paid off. In his hand he held Orpheus, and wasted no time in placing the card into his duel-disk (1900/1600). "I told you to stop talking about Noah like that! I'll make you regret it now!" Knowing the spirit of his friend was materializing in the form of a silver mechanical body, Aegis found himself able to fight back again. Vincent however appeared unimpressed, only laughing.

"You're just proving how weak you are! Always depending on those cards from dear old Noah. What happened to your own deck, Hallow? Worthless! Always using someone else's strength as your own is pathetic!" Vincent succeeded in squashing Aegis' comeback. His spirit definitively smashed to pieces.

Aegis' tremors had intensified as thoughts of doubt and self-pity began to swirl in his chest. _"He's…Right…I've never been able to do anything without Noah…I…I…"_ The thoughts were ripping him apart from the inside. Aegis could feel his body tingling painfully, his heart was being clawed at by a demon.

"I…Won't let you do this to me!" Aegis' defiant roar had been reduced to a desperate cry. His body was going limp, his own incompetence starting to overtake him. Aegis had never realized it, but he had spent an entire life relying on Noah. His heart would give out soon, the protection that his dependence had provided evaporated when Aegis became aware of its source. It was difficult to block out all of the torment in his mind as it was smashing apart any attempt at logical thought. Dueling Vincent had suddenly become terrifying.

"I activate…I activate Celestial Blessing!" A beacon of light opened up from high above, illuminating Orpheus' silver body in its light. "While I control a spirit monster, I can activate this card! One monster I select will gain immunity from all effects for the turn. When the monster attacks all your spell and trap cards are destroyed as well!" Aegis struggled to produce a voice stronger than a quivering. His mind ached from the opposing forces that bided for control of him; as a result his brain felt like it was turning to stone from the weight of the thoughts.

"Orpheus (1900/1600), attack Sonaris! (1800/2000)" Orpheus took his instrument off of his back, strumming the strings and shattering the swordsman's augmentations (1000/2000). Then a jolt of lightning split the air apart, coming down upon the swordsman. With the remnants of the sword he had, the warrior parried the bolt of lightning before the weapon vanished. But the warrior stood his ground triumphantly, only losing the sword in the exchange (0/2000).

(Vincent: 6500 Aegis: 7950)

"For each card destroyed any damage you take is reduced by 500 points, but instead I gain 500 life points." Aegis had lost his confidence, and it was far too evident. Mayor Winston appeared disappointed by Aegis' conduct, seeing such a weak side of the man far too many times. "I'll end my turn…"

"So you've finally realized just how much of a loser you are, Hallow. But you know, I think that the rest of our audience should know about Noah!" Vincent was relentless in his assault, dealing another crippling blow to Aegis. What did he actually know?!

"Don't look so surprised! I decided to look into both of your pasts when you abandoned us, Aegis Hallow." Vincent enjoyed emphasizing Aegis' name, as each time he did so it made Aegis wince.

"That Noah was a maniac! How many times did he nearly blow up a city block with his crazy experiments?! How many people actually died because you didn't stop him, Hallow?!" Aegis' legs gave out; Vincent was full of glee watching Aegis' fragile mentality to pieces. Noah was…Reckless. He paid no attention to anything in the world, just his goal.

Aegis had struggled many times against Noah's will. Despite his best efforts Noah would still conduct dangerous experiments, often trying to break through the planes of existence. Aegis remembered how once, Noah had intentionally sent Aegis off on a pointless errand so he could conduct a test. When Aegis realized it was far too late and their home had been reduced to a crater.

_One clear summer afternoon Noah attempted at another__ breaching of the planes of existence. What resulted was a powerful explosion that levelled the block, Noah only escaping because he could see the early signs of something catastrophic. The inferno that resulted engulfed the entire block was overtaking the other buildings, screaming voices deafening the ears. Aegis found Noah bleeding, he had not made it away totally unscathed. His right arm was heavily damaged and lay limp by his side. Noah was also bleeding from his forehead, the red liquid soaking into his white clothing._

"_Heh…You're…Not very happy right now are you, Aegis?" Noah tried his best to smirk and make light of the situation. But the screaming and terror that rang out in the air was slicing Aegis' heart to ribbons. He spun around to find panicked mothers trying to carry their children out of burning homes, fathers racing back into a pillar of fire to save the tattered remains of their life. And there, in a heap at his feet was the perpetrator._

"_Noah…Why?! You failed so many times! Why did you try this again?!" Aegis grabbed onto the blood y collar of Noah's jacket, wanting to hurl him into the air, but only propping him up against a wall._

"_Aegis…I was close! Next time I think I can do it! Aegis, I'm almost there!" Noah was delirious from blood loss and shock. His eyes were deranged, glazed over and reflecting the obsession he held in his heart. There were many nights that Aegis lay awake afraid that Noah would try a test when he was sleeping soundly. How did he fall for such a simple ploy? Just out to get some groceries for that night's dinner and now there was nothing left of a dinner table to enjoy it. _

_A demon within his body began to rip at his heart, pull at his mind and try to stir a sea of turmoil in Aegis' body all at once. The flames were spreading their reach to other homes, burning through them with unholy fury. More screaming, more torment, more agony, Aegis could hear it all. Each voice shouting to the heavens, asking why? Why did this happen to them? What had they done? Nothing._

_Noah began to chuckle quietly to himself, Aegis looking at him desperately for the reason why he would do something so cruel. "I'm so close…Aegis…__My soul…It will burn brighter than anyone else…" Aegis was dumbstruck by such words, his insides wrenching. The silver eye poked out through his hair, the organ scrunching up as his entire face contorted in pain._

"_NOAH! Why did you do this?! How many people have you killed like this?! Noah! My own parents…They died like this! Why?! WHY!?" The suffering was too much. Aegis wanted to squeeze the life out of Noah while he could. There would be a next time, and more people would suffer. He could end it. The agony and suffering would cease, it would only be his to bear. _

_Yet…He couldn't. Aegis' bloodied hands finally let go of Noah, letting him slump over. He could have stopped everything, but there was a greater fear that overcame him. Not even the prospect of the many lives that would be destroyed could overcome Aegis' greatest fear._

_Being alone._

_Aegis lifted up the tainted saint, putting him on his back and began to walk. Slowly, surely, he made his way with the still bleeding Noah on his back. Blood flowing down Aegis' body, covering his face and his hands in it. Noah's sin had become his own. _

_Men and women raced past him into the epicentre of the inferno, frantic and terrified that they would not save their loved ones. The screaming continued, the cries of torment, and all Aegis could do was cry. __He could protect no one, all he did that day was to ensure there would be a next time._

_Next time._

"Heh…You should be arrested, Hallow. But lucky for you no one could ever point the smoking gun at you or Noah. Probably because of your reputation or paying off the cops. Well, doesn't matter, I can see the blood on your hands." Vincent's voice only added to the torture Aegis felt. With all of his willpower Aegis halted the flow of tears that wanted to gush out. Too many memories. Too much pain. In the end he did kill Noah, but it was far too late for it to matter.

"Alright, time I finished this." Vincent seemed satisfied with himself. He tore Aegis apart mentally; it was time for him to deal with his reputation. "I'm equipping Katana Yang to Sonaris, giving him one extra Swordsmanship Counter and 500 more attack points! (1500/2000)" A second blade materialized in the right hand of the swordsman, the weapon's blade a pitch-black that let off a flickering of black fire.

"Pay attention, Hallow! I'm playing the spell card, Armory! By removing the Katana Yang on my field and the Katana Ying in my graveyard from the game I can draw three new cards, how do you like that, Hallow?!" Vincent's boasting had earned him the swaying opinions of the businessmen and politicians watching. Aegis' stature was plummeting fast; he was being colored as a criminal and as incompetent.

"I can't stand people like you, Hallow! Always clinging onto other people for support! Not only that you're clinging onto the ghost of a psychopath! I don't know what I hate more actually!" Aegis remained silent, his left arm clutching at his chest which felt like it was on fire. The constant battering he received from Vincent was manifesting as physical pain in his body, the truth was simply too agonizing.

"Time you understood the strength that I have! The power that I have in my two hands, the power that I have depending only on myself! Hallow! You're pathetic!" Vincent made sure to squeeze one more insult that appeared to strike a blow to Aegis' left ankle, knocking him back down to the ground as he struggled to stand.

"I'm playing Vagabond Cloak! By paying out 2000 life points I can instantly give my swordsman three Swordsmanship Counters! (3000/2000)" Two additional sheathed blades appeared on the back of the blue warrior.

(Vincent: 4500 Aegis: 7950)

"Now it's time you meet my ultimate monster! By sacrificing my swordsman while he has three Swordsmanship Counters I can summon Wandering Swordsman – Vagabond! (3000/2000)" No sooner had the swordsman gained his equipment, did he fade away into nothingness.

However the solitary spot on Vincent's field would be occupied by a new warrior that appeared to be the same swordsman after a number of years had passed. The long black hair had grown out and was wildly hanging out in all directions with a life of its own. The chiselled face had three blue markings on it, two triangles on each cheek and a three point star on his nose, augmenting the glare of his crimson eyes.

The armor that the warrior's previous form wore was no more, only pieces of it remaining on his right shoulder and legs, the majority of the swordsman's armor was formed from random steel and gold plates. The right forearm was covered entirely by a silver steel wolf head with clear slit eyes. Vagabond's upper body was uncovered except for the single piece of armor on his right shoulder, revealing a battle carved physique. However a tattered piece of long brown cloth was draped around his neck, hanging off in two long tails that flapped in the wind.

"For a former dueling prodigy you didn't put up much of a fight, Hallow. Your moves were sloppy and weak! Lucky for you by using my Vagabond Cloak I can't attack this turn. So I'll just finish by setting a card and equipping my Vagabond with Crossbearer Blade!" By Vincent's command a ten foot long, meter wide solid steel sword appeared in the left hand of the Vagabond. The weapon was inhumanly large, only a small cloth bounded handle to hold onto it. But despite being a mass of solid steel the Vagabond easily swung it around and rested it against his bare shoulder, the two-ton sword being nothing more than a toothpick to him.

"With Crossbearer Blade equipped, Vagabond gains an additional 1500 attack points, making him one of the strongest cards in all of Duel Monsters! (4500/2000)" Vincent laughed as he looked upon Aegis' tormented face, the muscles frozen in an expression of suffering.

Aegis was in rough shape. He could barely get back to his feet after one more repressed memory came out of the depths of his soul. Remembering Noah in such a horrid light…After being his murderer there was sin in the act itself. Sweat was rolling down his face, body still screaming in protest and fighting against every motion he made. Against Iris he was able to beat her trump card, but against Vincent he had to beat a horde of inner demons that were eager to rip Aegis apart from the confines of his own mind.

"_I…Was this too much for me? I thought I could face my past but…Somehow I…I never realized it…But…I've never done something without need Noah in mind…__Now I'm going to lose everything…No! I have to keep trying! I can win! I have to! I…I can do this by myself!" _Aegis grit his teeth and forced his left arm to grab a card off the top of his deck.

Aegis glanced at his field, with his field card out but no tokens to power it, it was no good. Heroic Spirit Freya was too weak to take on the Vagabond. There was nothing in his hand that could overpower the Vagabond, however Orpheus had an interesting ability that Aegis had yet to use. Noah's deck had once again repaid his loyalty by giving Aegis a critical card, and for a moment the pain in his chest loosened.

"I'll activate the second ability of Orpheus!" Aegis' sudden announcement seemed to prelude a turnabout, however Vincent did not appeared very worried. His smug grin unwavering. "By paying half of my life points I can gain control of one of your monsters, so I'll take control of your Vagabond!" Orpheus rearmed his harp and plucked the strings, gentle melodies playing out and enticing even the audience with the efficiency of the Pied Piper.

(Vincent: 4500 Aegis: 3975)

"Wrong! My Vagabond only follows himself, he doesn't want, or need to listen to anyone else! Therefore control of my Vagabond can't change!" Vincent's smirk only increased as Aegis flinched. The whispering had picked up again, Aegis lost his very significant lead and wasted his move. If he was a dueling prodigy, no one would believe it from how Aegis was performing, and he knew it. His head fell to the side, arms collapsing and legs nearly giving out, his body barely catching himself in time before hitting the marble floor. _"What's…Wrong with me?! I can't fight back anymore! No…One more! I have one more try! And even if it fails I still have Noah's ultimate card, Endless Night!"_ Aegis' thoughts were distorted, falling apart, they dripped through his fingers.

Like a puppet on strings, Aegis was very unnatural looking as he brought himself back up. "First I'll switch Orpheus and Heroic Spirit Freya into defence mode." Aegis' trembling hand moving to select the card he had just drawn. A twitching hand placing it into his duel-disk slowly. "Next I summon my Poltergeist! (300/0)"

A tiny gray wisp formed in the air. Two knobs for hands and a small blinking eye for a face. After being summoned a black opening appeared on the body, a long red tongue rolling out and swinging back and forth at Vincent's Vagabond.

"When Poltergeist is summoned the positions of all cards on the field are switched. Orpheus and Freya will go back into attack mode while your Vagabond and my Poltergeist go into defence mode. Now Freya (2300/0) can destroy your Vagabond! (4500/2000)" Aegis' confidence began to swell. Despite all of Vincent's beatings and Aegis' sins he had somehow overcame it all. He had done it. He had survived. The pain in his body began to fade and he found it easier to move, the muscles in his body no longer fighting against him.

"Now, Heroic Spirit Freya, attack with Divine Wrath!" The valkyrie unfolded her wings and soared towards the kneeling warrior. Vincent shook his head disappointedly and sighed wearily. "As if."

Freya's lance struck the Vagabond in his chest, a direct hit! However the warrior was not vanquished by the attack, instead grunting and swinging Freya away with his massive sword.

(Vincent: 4200 Aegis: 3975)

"My Vagabond's power has been honed over years of training! He cannot be destroyed in battle! I told you! You're weak, Hallow! You could never overcome the strength I have! A weakling that can only fight with others at his side is absolutely pathetic alone!" The damage Vincent sustained was laughable, and yet another failed attempt that left Aegis wide open. The brief wave of confidence was crushed, but the effects of the confidence had left his body in better shape. Aegis was able to remain standing and capable of holding back the dark thoughts in his mind.

"I'll set the last card in my hand. I end my turn." Aegis voice was deathly quiet as he dictated his move. More whispering darted through the crowd like electricity. Mayor Winston's opinion of Aegis suddenly flipped, he was sure that the card was the almighty Endless Night. He was amused to see the Grim Reaper in action, only hearing of how it devastated James Raven so easily.

Vincent snorted, he too was aware of what would be coming it seemed. He folded his arms defiantly and spat at the ground towards Aegis. "I'm activating the effect of Vagabond! By skipping my draw phase a Swordsmanship Counter is placed on my Vagabond. While equipped with Crossbearer Blade he gains another counter!" If Vincent was aware of what Aegis had laid he clearly didn't show it, or possibly he didn't care about it. His livid voice continued without any caution.

"With one counter Vagabond can piece your defences and inflict damage. With two counters all monsters destroyed by my Vagabond have their effects negated. And for every two counters monster can attack one more time." Vincent's swordsman had impressed the crowd. They were impressed that a single monster had so much versatility, however they knew it wouldn't be able to stand up to Aegis' trump card.

"Vagabond (4500/2000), attack Heroic Spirit Freya! (2300/0) Heaven-Shattering Slash!" Vincent's Vagabond moved with incredible speed despite his large build and even more massive weapon. Vincent smirked at Aegis who was confused at the arbitrary selection of target. Attacking his Poltergeist would deplete his life points, yet Vincent went straight for Freya instead.

Vincent laughed and thrust his right arm forward. "While equipped with Crossbearer Blade whenever my Vagabond attacks, all monsters adjacent to the target are struck as well!" The Vagabond swung his weapon around and raised it over his head, smashing Freya apart with a devastating downward swing, holographic smoke and rock hurling into the air.

(Vincent: 4200 Aegis: 1775)

In a fluid motion the Vagabond then spun clockwise and bisected both Orpheus and Aegis' Poltergeist, both monsters exploding in shards of light. Vincent sneered just as Vagabond followed through with his swing and brought the blade upwards through Aegis' body. The massive weapon's presence making Aegis jump back out of reflex, he forgot that it was nothing but lights and not real metal.

(Vincent: 4200 Aegis: 0)

"Endless Night activates!" Aegis' declaration was no surprise for the audience, or Vincent it seemed as he simply tapped his foot impatiently. From Aegis' position ribbons of the night sky burst outward, spreading so far and wide that they covered the entire building, surrounding everyone in the eternal night sky. The darkness was only lit by dim stars that appeared so distant that it gave a sense of drifting in oblivion, nothing was larger than a spec and only served to make one feel insignificant in an endless universe of darkness.

(Vincent: 4200 Aegis: Endless Night)

"Because you depleted my life points your turn ends and now play shifts to me!" Aegis' hand was empty and so was his field. However he could almost hear a moaning coming from a small compartment within his duel-disk; there was one more card he could play. A dull ache began to plague his right eye, the pain shaking Aegis' vision dramatically.

"I…When I summon a monster, as long as it remains on the field I won't lose the game. So…" Aegis clutched at his eye desperately to try and ease the pain. _"Again?! Using Endless Night keeps doing this to me…Argh…It doesn't matter now…I'll beat Vincent with this final card!"_ Aegis took note that his mind had reset itself. Feeling rather ashamed he knew it was because he was able to deny the painful truths again. Running away forever.

"I remove Orpheus and the five spirit monsters in my graveyard!" A massive black pentagram formed around the empty monster zones on Aegis' field. A supernatural blue flame lighting up to mark each point of the satanic symbol. "Come forth, Death! (0/0)"

The pentagram glowed dimly and broke apart into fragments of light. Replacing them a tall dark figure wearing a cloak of never-ending darkness appeared; its presence freezing the building and chilling even the Mayor. Aegis stumbled as the spectre appeared, the pain intensifying for a moment before subsiding enough to let him recollect himself.

"This ends here Vincent! I won't let you take away everything I've worked for! Attack Vagabond! The End!" Nothing appeared to happen, but for someone with keen eyes they could notice that the void which marked the presence of the reaper had been filled with stars; Death was on the move.

Vincent noticed it first, the Grim Reaper seeming to teleport in front of his Vagabond. The folds of its cloak parting to allow a skeletal arm to reach out at Vagabond slowly. Aegis clenched his fist tightly as he watched the scene. _"The monster that Death battles with will be destroyed automatically. Damage equal to its attack power and the damage I would have taken are sent back at the opponent. Vincent will take a total of 9000 points of damage and then this game will be over!"_

"Negate Attack!" Vincent's last stand caused a collective double take from Aegis and all of the refined spectators. Death's hand stopped its approach just inches short of Vagabond's face, the air rippling like water; the attack was stopped. Death drifted back onto Aegis' field with simple motions; somehow someone had avoided their inevitable end and Aegis was amazed by it.

"That deck isn't yours, Hallow. It will never win you anything more than trivial duels with no meaning! When it comes down to it, you will always fail! So it's my turn now! Let me show you the true power of my own soul!" Vincent's fighting spirit had redoubled and with it he roared the last sentence. Aegis felt like a nail had just been slammed into his right eye, blood about to flow out at any point.

"By skipping my draw phase this time, Vagabond gains two more Swordsmanship Counters, giving him the maximum number of four!" Vincent laughed and took a step forward, throwing his arm forward dramatically. "By removing four Swordsmanship Counters from Vagabond I can activate his ultimate technique, Crucifixion!" Aegis looked at Vincent with a newfound terror. In the back of his mind he wondered if this was how Noah felt when…Aegis' mind shut itself down before it could complete that thought and locked up all of his joints and muscles to turn him into a statue. His mind had betrayed his body to protect himself from more turmoil.

Vagabond swung his massive sword back and forth for second lines of light coursed through the weapon which outlined where the blade would break apart suddenly. The gigantic weapon then became a single ten-foot long blade, as thin as the handle. The rest of the sword had broken into smaller metal fragments, which broke apart further until there were twelve shards of steel drifting in the air slowly.

Each of the twelve pieces began to glow white, spinning in midair so fast that they became twelve glowing discs. Vincent shut his eyes and lowered his face, only his wide grin peaking through. "Death? That's nothing to me!"

Vagabond charged forward as the discs also began to soar through the air in large arcs, before converging on the black figure of Death. And before Aegis could think to act surprised the discs slashed through the reaper, Death itself was destroyed.

"When Crucifixion is used all cards on your side of the field are destroyed! And…You take 4500 points of damage. Game over, Hallow!" Aegis looked up only to find himself staring at the battle-hardened face of Vagabond as he closed in on his weakened body, single long blade pointed straight at him. In the blink of an eye and with the efficiency of a samurai the weapon was sent straight through his chest, exactly where his heart would have been. Aegis' breathing stopped, he looked down at the hologram that was projecting through his body. For some reason it felt like a part of him was slain right there. An emptiness where his heart should have been. The pain in his right eye began to fade away slowly as the fake night sky disappeared and was replaced with artificial light from the lamps.

(Vincent: 4200 Aegis: 0)

"Like I said, a loser is always a loser. Just go back to hiding, Hallow. The world is better off without you or Noah." The holograms faded, the game was over and Vincent had won. Aegis' body broke down, his body being reduced to a heap of blue cloth on the floor, head buried in his collar.

Smugly Vincent looked up into the shocked face of the mayor, stunned that Aegis' trump card was so easily countered. "You can't be serious! Sending a loser like that to the Millennium Tournament!" The mockingly musical voice of Vincent made the mayor cringe, the audience agreeing with the sentiment loudly.

"…No, you're right." Mayor Winston appeared to have recollected himself. Then he pointed a finger down at Vincent, face warming up to the youth. "Instead Spirare will send _you_. I will even look over those highway plans and see if I can strike a favourable compromise. How is that, Mister Vesarius?" The mayor's swaying opinion had finally settled, and from the way he was addressing the former delinquent it was obvious who had won his favour.

"I see you're finally coming to your senses! You keep that nursing home open and I'll bring home the title to Spirare!" Vincent's opinion of the mayor also swayed at the announcement. His face showed the excitement he felt, the features hinting at a devious pleasure in knowing he had taken the chance from Aegis.

Maria had flown to Aegis' side after the duel ended, trying to help him back up, but his body refused to lift itself off of the ground. Aegis' mind had wiped itself clean along with his dream of going to the Millennium Tournament; there was nothing left but the husk of a man he thought he was.

"It's…Over…"


	8. Turn 8: Looking Glass Self

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 8: Looking Glass Self**

Huh?

What do you want?

Look, I'm not really in a good mood so I don't want to talk.

…

Not going to leave me alone are you? Fine. Do what you want.

What's your name?

…

You start bugging me all of a sudden and won't even tell me your name? Honestly…

Eh? Who am I? Why should I tell you if you won't tell me your name? Where's the logic in that?

…

What? You've seen me somewhere? Heh…It's your imagination. I'm no one.

Yeah I'm sure. It's just a coincidence if I looked like someone you knew.

…

Well where are you going? This train is for more than talking to strangers you know.

Origin, huh? Looks like we're going the same way.

…

What do you mean I look like I'm going there to cause trouble?! Aren't you being judgemental just because of what I'm wearing?! Just because I have a big winter coat, a hood and some beanie doesn't mean I'm a troublemaker!

…

My right arm? What do you care about my right arm for?

…

Hmph, I told you, it's your imagination, you don't know me. What? Fine! Here, look! See? Nothing, my arm is fine, nothing special about it or on it, happy now?

…

You're not. Honestly, that's not my problem, is it?

…

Well, what do you want in Origin?

…

Just visiting? By yourself?

…

Hey, suit yourself! Origin just doesn't seem to be a great vacation spot if you ask me.

…

So why am I going there? Well, Origin is my hometown. I've been away from it for a few years but recently I decided to go back for a visit.

…

I had a feeling you'd ask me but fine. Just be glad you met someone convenient. Yeah, I'll show you around the place.

…

You sure are chatty. I've just been out of town these last few years. Looking for some inspiration and all that. Eh? Oh, yeah I'm a writer so it's only natural for me to want to find something to write about, isn't it?

…

What have I written? Just a few short stories, a novel or two. You'll mostly find my stuff in those books with a bunch of short stories.

…

HEY! I…Yeah you're right, I am a deadbeat…Well! It doesn't matter! I make by fine! Just because I'm homeless doesn't mean anything about who I really am!

…

…Heh…Thanks. Yeah, of course I'm a nice guy! I just look a bit rough around the edges that's all.

…

Eh? Why are you asking me about something like that?! I-I don't have a girlfriend waiting for me in Origin! Honestly, asking me something so embarrassing…I told you, I just haven't been to Origin in awhile so I wanted to go back! It's my hometown!

…

It's fine, it's fine. I accept your apology. Still, you're too weird. But I guess in some ways it's nice to have a friendly chat at this time of year. I didn't think it would be snowing so heavily in Origin…Can't even see the sky.

…

I know that it's winter! What I mean is that even in the wintertime Origin's skies were clear. So even when the entire city was covered in snow you could still see the clear blue sky above. But…With all this snowfall there's nothing but gray clouds.

…

I told you, I'm a writer, of course I say useless things like that. Besides, I like the sky.

It's going to be a few more hours until we get there so I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when we arrive, alright?

…

Alright thanks. Now don't forget! You'll be lost without me you know.

Man…I didn't know sleeping in those chairs would leave me so stiff…Ugh…

…

Well you should've told me then! I don't take trains normally, it's either walk there or take a bus for me.

Anyway, is there anywhere you wanted to see in particular?

…

Guess that's a good start, I'm pretty hungry too. But hey, you're paying for lunch!

Don't give me that look! You'd have to pay a lot for a tour guide normally, but I'll do it for a meal instead! That's got to be cheaper than the guide, right?

…

Hey! Hey! Ok, ok! I'll pay for myself.

…

…Yeah I have money…

…

Don't be so offended! I wasn't going to buy a lot of food if you agreed…Come on, don't be so angry, it was a joke!

…

You're really a weird person, you know that right?

Follow me, if we go a few blocks south we'll come across this café. It doesn't look like much but the food is cheap and it's good.

…

Yeah…It is pretty cold. To be honest I can't really see through all this snow, it's coming down pretty heavily. Well you look like you're dressed for this weather. Still, let's get moving already!

Ahh…The food here really is good! It's been way too long since I've had one of these tuna sandwiches!

…

Of course I have good taste! My parents used to take me here when I was a kid because this place has the best sandwiches in all of Origin!

…

…My parents died when I was very young. So I'm pretty sure they don't have much to say for not visiting in the last five years.

…

It's alright, you didn't know. It's been about fifteen years since then, so I don't really feel too bothered by it now.

…

What were they like…?

Come on, it's getting late. I'll show you to a good place to stay for the night.

This is where we part ways my strange travelling companion!

…

Where am I staying? Isn't it obvious? I'm going to stay at a drop-in center for the night.

…

Don't look like that. You were the one that said I was a hobo anyway, it's natural.

…

It's fine, really. You kept me company for the day so that's good enough for me. You have your own places to go to, and to be honest, so do I.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't come here for a reason.

…

Good that you understand. Take care of yourself then!

Huh? You again? I have to admit I'm not that surprised to see you here.

…

So this was the real reason you came to Origin isn't it? You wanted see ground zero of the Origin Hellfire.

…

So you noticed. Yeah…That hellfire was fifteen years ago, and it was when I lost my parents.

…

Fifteen years ago half of Origin was suddenly engulfed in flames. Even now the city is still trying to recover from the damage. There still isn't enough money to clear the rubble let alone rebuild. So here it is, the city of the dead. You can still find charred remains of men and women if you dig around.

…

How did I survive? Honestly? I don't really know. Somehow I wasn't claimed by the fires. But, as you know my parents weren't nearly as lucky. I found traces of their clothing and a pile of ashes when I stumbled out of the basement.

…

Yeah, well I turned out alright even with seeing that at seven.

…

There was no official report of what caused the Hellfire. But, from what I hear it's believed that someone was doing something very strange.

…

Yes and no. They think that someone or a group was trying to do some kind of experiment. But there were no traces of explosives or nuclear weapons. Eventually some thought it had something to do with Duel Monsters. Why? Because there were records of strange phenomena occurring because of Duel Monster cards, like people being sucked into other dimensions, reports of actual monsters appearing, all that weird stuff.

…

Yeah, you heard of them I bet. What a crazy world, little sheets of cardboard that can rip apart the Earth, honestly…Oh right, where was I?

…

Right, thanks.

The investigation team believed that the Hellfire was started because someone was trying to do something with Duel Monsters. They're not sure what the actual cause was, but I have a feeling it was nothing good.

…

Like what? I don't know. Maybe they were trying to…To…Break through to another dimension or something? What? Did you expect me to actually know?

Well in the end as the investigators couldn't release an official report stating that a million people died because of a card game, the case was closed as it was.

…

You don't have to be sorry for me. I turned out pretty good. I…Had good friends with me in that orphanage.

…You know…My mother, she was…Really feisty I guess. She had a lot of energy! My mother was pretty quiet but I remember she loved playing Duel Monsters; I guess she didn't care if she was twice the age of the other kids. She even taught me how to play, I often ended up as her opponent.

Hahaha…It was strange, trying to beat my mom in a duel so I could get my allowance that week. I didn't win against her very often, hahaha.

…

I told you already, you don't know me. You know that lots of people can play Duel Monsters, honestly!

…

My father? He…I…He…Ah! Right, he was a writer.

…

Yeah, like me.

My father never really got into Duel Monsters, though my mother often tried to teach him. My father was a pretty rigid guy. He didn't say much. But my father really liked to write short stories, often little hero tales. He really liked those kinds of stories. I think he used to tell me lots of them before I went to bed.

He loved mythology, actually I think that's where my parents got my name.

…

Hmph, you still haven't told me your name and you still want to know mine!

…

…I'm…Surprised I can still remember that much actually…

…

You see, I…Can't remember their faces anymore. I don't even know the name of my parents. I'm forgetting them slowly.

I don't remember what my mother's embrace felt like, or the feeling of my father's hand as he guided me through life. I…

I really miss them…But I'm not even sure if what I just told you was even true. They might just be things my mind made up to fill in the gaps.

…

Sorry, I don't know why I'm saying this to a complete stranger like you. It's none of your business in the end.

…

The real reason I'm here? You're really a strange person, to want to listen to someone like me.

Guess…I'm trying to find out who I am. Somehow I made it through twenty-two years by changing faces everyday and I didn't even know it.

Recently…Well, things started to change. So now I've realized what I'm not because of those changes, so I have to…Find what I am if I want to keep moving forward.

…

Heh…Yeah it's…I'm a little messed up after all.

…

I don't know what I'm looking for here. But, somehow I felt that I should come back here. The city that time forgot and where my life ended, the endless faces of someone else's life beginning.

…

I guess that's probably it isn't it?

When you're lost all you can do is find your way back to the beginning to try again. That's a good way to put my situation. I really am back where everything started…

I travelled for most of my life so I didn't stay in any one place for very long. Really these ashes are really my only home. Funny how that works out.

…

Don't be asking me something like that now. You came here for your own reasons, you don't need to follow me for your vacation.

…

When you put it like that you make me out to be the bad guy! I'm just saying that you can be doing better things than following some hobo around.

…

Fine, fine! It's your time in the end. I did want to visit one more place while I was in town.

…

Where? I guess it doesn't matter if I told you now.

It's the orphanage I was sent to after the hellfire. Come on, it's going to be a long walk across town and it's still snowing.

Guess a lot has changed in five years. I didn't realize they closed down the orphanage. Wonder if it's because the city couldn't afford to keep it open.

…

Huh? Yeah. This is it. This dilapidated building is where I spent the next eight years after the hellfire.

…

Maybe. I think I wasn't adopted because the city itself was in such rough shape. I don't think a lot of people had the chance to consider what kind of kid would be nice to take home after the hellfire.

…

Oh don't look at me like that! I keep telling you I turned out alright!

…

Yes, I saw my parent's turn into ash at seven, but-

…

The orphanage was a good place! You just think it's awful because it's an orphanage!

…

Why are you judging me anyway?! You said it yourself when we first met that you thought I was a nice guy!

…

…Go figure. You're right. Somehow despite everything in my life I did turn out to be a decent person.

…

Helping you was natural for me.

…

Fell for it again didn't I? You're…Pretty good at this. Somehow these qualities everyone else notices I never really paid attention to.

Yeah…I like being a nice guy. I like to help people. I like to protect people.

…

Hah! A natural hero? You're kidding, right?

…

You're not. Well I was.

…

Now you want to know about my time at the orphanage? Alright, I'll tell you.

It…Was pretty rough at the beginning. But no worse than your first day at school, just have to give it time and you'll fit right in.

After awhile I met this one boy, same age as me and another survivor of the hellfire. He was pretty traumatized. It was evident since he had lost all the color in his hair, so it was all gray. The other kids avoided him since he only sat in a corner, huddled up and rocking back and forth.

…

Yeah…He wasn't really all there. But I felt that I should do something when I first saw him. I began to talk to him. Tried to make friends with him, you know just trying to cheer him up. At first he was cautious around me.

Maybe I was looking for something to fill the gap that was created when my parents died, but…I really tried to make him smile. So I smiled a lot. I tried to be strong and shrug off that entire event.

…

Don't call me that. I was just a tough kid. Not some hero. That's not even the right term for what I was doing anyway. I just thought that my parents wouldn't want to know their son fell down and never got back up because no one was there to help him.

Isn't that what parents try to do? Teach their kids how to fall down seven times and to get up eight times? I might not remember much about them anymore, but I know they wanted to see my smiling face throughout all of the hardships.

…

Look, you want to hear the story or not?

…

After awhile he warmed up to me. Actually his personality did a complete flip. All of a sudden he became really loud and outspoken, but not in the disobedient sort of way. He was a pretty positive guy actually. Suddenly his optimism overcame mine and…Well between the two of us you'd have never have known that we both lost so much. Just two kids, laughing together without a care in the world…

…

Yeah…I'm alright, just some snow got in my eye. Give me a second.

…

What happened next?

We grew up. Spent eight years in that orphanage, getting an education and working wherever we could get paid under the table. It was pretty hard work for kids to do; most of it was cleaning of some kind. But with him by my side I wasn't bothered by it. Just knowing I had one friend next to me throughout all of it was more than what I needed. In those years he became a really steadfast guy. I often found myself relying on him when I felt down or like I couldn't keep going.

I always admired his determination…It was almost…Scary. He was unyielding in whatever he did. He even developed what you'd probably call a hero complex. Always trying to help people out, though his methods were questionable and sometimes made things worse, in the end I think his heart was always in the right place.

…

You're right. He…Was like a brother to me. I…He was always encouraging me when the entire world gave up on me. I knew I could count on him if I needed anything…And yet…At the same time something about him wasn't right in those last couple of years…

…

Sorry, but that part of the story won't be told today.

…

Not even if you paid me.

…

Him? You can say we're not exactly on speaking terms anymore. There was a rather big fallout between us five years ago.

…

Like I said, you won't get anymore of that story from me. Normally you'd have to go buy one of my stories, you should feel lucky that you got one for free!

…

I lost my identity then? What a strange thing to say. Yet I feel like you're right. Maybe when I first met him was when I started to put on those fronts; those faces.

…

I know it wasn't a bad thing at the time.

But that skill of switching faces all the time has come back to bite me where it hurts. When you put on a mask you cover your face from the world and the slings and arrows. When the mask finally breaks and one gets through it hurts so much.

My face never got used to the idea of being able to go out unprotected into a world like that.

…

Yeah, it is a strange metaphor isn't it?

…

I don't know. I'm here because I'm trying to find a place to start again. Only as myself. No more masks. But I think I dropped my own face somewhere, I don't suppose you've seen it?

…

You have? Where?

…

Looks like you're getting good at playing these word games too. Handing me a piece of glass all of a sudden, that's real strange.

…

How…did I miss that? This whole time you've been telling me the answers I was looking for.

The one thing that was constant with everything I did, every face I faked, was that…

…

Aren't you going too far to call me that? Hope? I'm not hope. I'm hopeful. Calling me hero and hope now? I'm not that kind of person! But…I still get your point.

Hope, huh…? Somehow I didn't realize it but I really am reliable in that sense…It always made me feel good to know people could count on me. I never did like to mope around anyway.

…I think I'll keep this shard for awhile.

…

Who am I?

Why are you asking me such a worthless question? You've known the answer from the start! Playing dumb with me this whole time, you thought I really wouldn't notice? Hahaha.

Whatever that's not important. This time we part ways for good! I think I know what I want to do from here on out. I have one piece of a face that belongs only to me.

There's somewhere I have to go back to. I have people there I want to see again and…Maybe I can set a few things right too.

I don't think I have all the answers yet…But I have enough to start something.

…

Yeah…Thanks, for everything.

I'll see you later!

**The Looking Glass Self**

_Charles Horton Cooley_ - **The Looking Glass Self** (Reflexive Self)

1) We have the ability to imagine how we appear to others

2) We have the ability to imagine how others judge us due to our appearance

3) In response to those perceived judgments we choose how to act

You're educated now.


	9. Turn 9: There and Back Again Part 1

**Soul of a Duelist**

_**By The Walking Paradox**_

**Turn 9: There and Back Again: ****Vardøger**

_"Somehow…I feel like I've been here before."_ Aegis couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu as he ate a cheap hotdog he bought from a vendor that could feel no cold in the brisk winter air.

Aegis looked around himself, an air of familiarity to his scenery. In all directions there were bare trees in vast open space that had been covered in a blanket of white snow. The colors of Spirare's city park had been wiped away; the winter had turned it into a single blank canvas. It really didn't do much good for inspiring much in Aegis in terms of writing spirit, but there was a strange resonance with his background and his soul.

Moving his good eye down and to his side he noted that he was sitting in the same spot he was in a few weeks ago. It was the exact same metal park bench that he tried to take a nap on previously. The nagging thought that it was also the last day he tried to write came barging through his mind as well. Money seemed to have fallen off of Aegis' list of priorities, but suddenly money seemed to be a very big problem if his next course of action would succeed.

Finishing off the last bits of ketchup soaked bread and sausage, Aegis stood up and made his way to a nearby frosted over metal trash can. However he noticed a newspaper sticking out of it, the date be the following day after Vincent had beat him in city hall. The front page was obstructed by other articles of trash, but it didn't stop Aegis from reaching in with his gloved hand and pulling out the discarded newspaper.

Much to his dismay, Aegis found that there was a massive image of his duel plastered onto the front page. The image was taken during the final moments of the duel, Vincent's Vagabond dispelling the darkness and the spectre conjured by Endless Night, the blade a mere moment before it would be plunged through Aegis' body. At the top a large headline screamed: "Delinquent Duelist Conquers Death!"

Aegis skimmed the article, though it told him exactly what he suspected. The article spoke of how Vincent barged into the mayor's office and challenged Aegis for the chance to enter the Millennium Tournament on behalf of Spirare. It continued to go on to tell of how Aegis' performed atrociously, was implicated as a criminal, even an accomplice to murder and millions of dollars in property damages. In other words, Aegis was as good as a wanted man.

_"So this city has finally rejected me too?" _Aegis shut his eye slowly, tossing the dirty paper back into the trash can._ "My life ended while I was in Spirare. I've stayed here lurking in the shadows ever since that day. Maybe it's a sign I should pick up the pieces of my life and move on?" _A sort-of condescending chuckling came from his lips, a cynical smirk forcing his lips upwards.

"_Yeah. Probably.__ But I still need to finish a few more things here."_

Before Aegis left the scene, he couldn't help but look back down into the trash can and at the large photo. His eye wandered to the image of himself, arms up and bracing for an impending impact. It was only a week since the duel, but Aegis felt completely different. The image of the man he was looking down at simply didn't feel like it could remotely be himself.

Though, Aegis believed it was partly because of the fact he had traded in his battered royal blue trenchcoat for a simple gray winter coat, a black beanie covering his head, with simple gloves on each hand and a pair of jeans covering the rest of his body.

After giving it another thought, Aegis discarded the notion of his appearance being the cause for the disparity in identity. More than likely it was because of his trip to Origin and the effect it had on him. He had kept a shard of glass from the torn down orphanage he grew up in with Noah. For some reason there was significance in the jagged glass. To protect himself from it he had wrapped the glass up in a cloth, still he could feel the edges through the material.

"_I'm over-thinking things. Still, I can only imagine what would happen if I went back to the drop-in center…" _Aegis cringed as he recalled the events following the duel against Vincent.

Mayor Winston's already inhospitable treatment had become downright cruel. The politician was in a state of dignified fury for being humiliated in putting his faith in Aegis. As a result he had quickly decided to hand over the entire bill for operating the center to Maria. No amount of arguing or protesting could move the mayor; it only seemed to make things worse.

After returning to the center as a broken man, Aegis broke the news of what transpired before it could hit the papers. No one said a word, but it was clear that Aegis was no longer considered the hero he was mere hours ago. Though he received no direct backlash, he was shunned and neglected by the people in the shelter; not even the children dared approach him to ask for a dueling consult.

Aegis decided to leave the shelter that night. There were too many things bogging his mind down. To make his life easier while travelling, he decided to get rid of his trenchcoat. It was his defining feature, the large coat that covered up his body from view. Instead he opted for second-hand winter clothing in a donation bin from a church.

"_And now here we are. But I need to find someone that might still be on my side. I…"_ Aegis paused. After tracing over his thoughts, he felt ashamed in wanting to still find a way to enter the Millennium Tournament. It would start in a week, yet it was held somewhere across the globe from here he stood. _"Maybe it's still too selfish of me to want to fulfill a pointless dream like winning the Millennium Tournament when the drop-in center won't last for more than a few months…"_

"_Still…I really don't want to give up on this. The next time I'll have a chance to enter is going to be in another four years!"_ The impossibility of the task settled in. During the train ride back to Spirare, Aegis wrestled against his logic to try and delude himself into believing he could find a way to do the impossible. As he stood fixed in place, hovering over the image of his former self a feeling of hopelessness spread out from the bottom of his heart to the rest of his body.

In a short period of time Aegis felt like he had travelled long and far in finally understanding who he was. Yet conviction could only carry a weary soul so far. The rest of his aspirations would need footing in the physical realm to keep him moving.

Then it hit him.

Aegis' body seized up, all of his muscles contracting at once. On his left shoulder he could feel the heavy presence of a hand slamming down on the puffy winter coat. As the hand sank in to make contact with the shoulder beneath it, Aegis' mind was screaming to run. However a deep-rooted guilt had seeded him in place, turning his legs into lead.

"You're a hard boy to find." The voice of the past spoke into the back of his head. It was a gruff older voice that spoke in mute tones. Aegis recognized it to belong to Earl, the homeless man who had briefly helped him out as he recovered before facing Iris.

"_Those who don't learn hist__ory are doomed to repeat it…Isn't that how the saying goes?"_ The relics of a past just weeks ago had already caught up to him. Aegis looked into himself, at the fear, the guilt, the torment, all of the emotions that held him back. Aegis swiftly crushed it with a solidified resolve.

"_Let the past come for me. I won't run."_

"I was out of town for awhile." Aegis surprised himself with how casual his answer was. With a casual wave of his arm, Aegis turned around to face the man calmly.

"Explains it then. Everyone in the shelter was looking for you." The news dealt a rather heavy blow to Aegis' resolve; he had never expected to be so loathed that it would invoke a few hundred people to search a city for an entire week!

Still, for Aegis to crumble yet again was totally unacceptable! Aegis thought back to the broken man he was when Vincent crushed him. That pitiful shell was not someone else, the torment and shame belonged only to Aegis. It was who he was for so long. He finally gained insight into the condition and had a chance to break free from the pain he kept in his heart.

"Let's go then." Aegis nodded his head as he spoke firmly. Earl appeared unresponsive, perhaps it was just easier if Aegis didn't struggle, at least that's what he thought. Early motioned to the east, Aegis was to walk ahead with Earl following close behind.

Thankfully, even though Earl could recognize him with the new attire, the majority of Spirare would still be unable to tell that he was the infamous Aegis Hallow.

Yet there was an almost dark undertone to the scenario. As it was late in the year, Christmas was coming, with it the usual peddlers for charities would stand outside and try to get donations. One particular man, dressed in dark winter clothing that covered up all but his face, slowly rang a bell. Each time the clapper struck the inside of the brass bell, an eerie ding ran through Aegis' head.

The streets were empty as the weather was particularly inhospitable, leaving the city rather baron. The sights and sounds ultimately made Aegis feel as if he was walking through Death Row. _"One way or another, this is how things should be. I can't run away from this for five years." _Aegis surprised himself once more with how determined he had become. It was starting to border defiance against anything and everything coming his way in life.

As the scenery became a bit more baron, a bit more familiar, Aegis could accurately estimate the time it would take him to close in on the drop-in center. Five minutes until that large overturned dumpster. Four minutes until the graffiti covered bus stop with it's a chipped bench. Three minutes until Aegis reaches the corner that led straight into the drop-in center's doors. Two minutes until the steps of the drop-in center. One minute until Aegis would reach out and push open the metal doors.

Finally there was no more time. Aegis halted in front of the shelter's worn metal doors. His right hand frozen in midair as it reached for the metal bar, an act of habit really. Despite Aegis' newfound confidence, there was still a sizeable part of him that did want to make a break for it.

"Come on, they're waiting for you." Earl beckoned onwards. Aegis forgot that Earl was looming behind him the entire trip. There was no real easy way of escaping from the start. Aegis jolted his right arm forward to latch onto the metal bar, pulling it open slowly. _"Here we go, let's do this."_

Aegis slipped through the parting metal and stepped into the drop-in center for the first time in a week. At first he went unnoticed, the inhabitants moving back and forth carrying out their daily routines. Then Aegis noticed something strange.

The normally rather cluttered and dirty floors were cleaned, the tiles actually shining in the light. There were only a few things left on the floor, all of the mattresses had been removed and placed elsewhere, same with all of the personal affects people would leave behind. In fact the entire shelter appeared much cleaner than before, giving it a rather professional feel.

With Earl shutting the doors behind him, the resulting metal clang caused a few heads to turn. Aegis did his best to appear casual, first removing the beanie from his head as anyone would after entering from the cold. It was rather difficult to avoid the stares he was receiving however. As one person noticed he had come back, they would tell anyone nearby and then they would do the same.

Aegis' confidence shrunk under the staring. But he could feel a small fire still burning in his soul, it was only lit a few days ago and was fragile. But it wanted to burn brightly. Gripping the covered glass shard in his pocket, Aegis forced his eyes upwards off the floor and to stare straight back at those around him.

And yet another strange thing happened. At first Aegis couldn't distinguish what feeling was being conveyed on the faces of the audience. It wasn't exactly anger, but it wasn't contempt either. No, it wasn't anything remotely related to anger or contempt. After a moment Aegis tentatively put forward the only plausible word to describe how he was being received: relief.

"Aegis! Where have you been?!" The first to speak was a shrill tune, but it was familiar and Aegis knew it was how Maria sounded when she was stressed.

"Well I-" Aegis didn't realize the question was rhetorical, Maria parting the gathering crowd in an instant only to shoot her arm forward and latch onto Aegis' left ear. She wasted no time in tugging on it to bring Aegis' head down to the ground, the man hissing and protesting vividly as he tried to get her to stop. The pain was horribly unpleasant, and it made him feel like a naughty ten-year old.

"Do you have any idea how worried you made everyone?!" Maria made sure to speak very loudly and clearly into the captured left ear, Aegis' entire body convulsing in sync with each vibration of the air. It was an unending torrent of worried accusation, in some ways Aegis was suddenly alright without having a mother, Maria could do the traditional scolding very well.

"We found your trenchcoat out in a trashcan! Your duel-disk was even in there! With the deck still inside!" Maria's voice intensified as she continued shouting at point blank range.

"If someone didn't find it what would you do about the Millennium Tournament?!" At those two magical words Aegis could always break out of any strife. He stopped struggling against Maria's grip, which ultimately caused her to let go of the battered ear. For a moment Aegis forgot that he had been robbed of his one chance awhile ago, the unhappiness stirring inside of his stomach.

"What do you mean? You were there with me when the mayor changed his mind. I'm not in the Millennium Tournament." Aegis couldn't hide the sadness in his voice, he had desperately wanted to shoot for the title of best in the world.

Maria sighed and shook her head, her deceptively strong hand reaching out for Aegis once more. He stood in place as he received a flick in the center of his forehead that made him shut his eyes momentarily form the stinging. "If you stayed around then you would know." A collective grin travelled throughout the gathered members. Aegis looked from side to side at the smiles; the situation was drastically different than what he had envisioned.

"Long story short, you're going to enter the Millennium Tournament." It was Earl who stole the moment, breaking the news before Maria could, which caused her to be very annoyed.

Aegis' jaw dropped, had the laws of physics not been in play it most likely would have hit the ground. He was dreaming. No, his ear was throbbing and caused a great dull pain. Was it a prank? A twisted way of getting him back where it really hurt the most? No, Aegis didn't believe that Maria would have allowed something so underhanded to occur. Then…It was true.

"Are…Are you serious?" Aegis did his best to stifle his overflowing excitement, speaking in only a whisper. There was no audible response, just a unanimous set of nodding heads from all sides. His legs suddenly gave out, Aegis collapsing to his knees for no real reason. It wasn't out of agony or torment, it was an act of disbelief, he was shocked.

"But I thought…Why did you all do this for me? Because of me the shelter will run out of money..." Aegis looked to see a characteristic reaction, yet there was no loathing or resentment, still only smiles.

"The solution was simple, we just make more money!" A young man suddenly jumped into the conversation, shouting the answer so easily despite being homeless and unemployed.

"I…But Earl seemed unhappy to find me awhile ago…I really did think…" Aegis' mind had turned itself off at the news. The rest of his body trying to operate without any higher thought processes. Earl sighed wearily and lowered himself down to one knee, letting his hand land roughly on Aegis' shoulder.

"Boy, ever since you left I haven't had a good night's sleep! I've been looking for you high and low, I'm sure I've combed through every bit of Spirare twice! You know I'm happy to see you, but I'm just too tired to show it!" Earl moved in closer to Aegis to let him see the heavy bags under his eyes. Aegis didn't notice it at first as he never got a real good look at Earl's face, but he looked absolutely exhausted. Still, he had a half-hearted smile on his tired face that washed away anymore of Aegis' doubts.

"How did you do this?" Aegis wracked his mind for the last week for a way to accomplish the daunting task of entering the Millennium Tournament. Yet, it almost seemed like a trivial chore for the shelter's members.

"A day after that article was printed the announcer from the last tournament stumbled in here looking for you." A female voice spoke this time, older, wiser in her years than Aegis was in his short lifetime.

"He was real worked up after hearing what Mayor Winston did to you! That judge didn't believe the article and thought you were played by the mayor. So he asked all of us to work with him to get you entered!" A little girl, a very energetic child that fed off of the atmosphere simply burst the next segment of the story.

"Turns out because you were a dueling legend five years ago, and since you did so well against Iris, the committee accepted your application!" Now it was the young boy next to her who continued the telling.

"But how am I supposed to get there? I don't have enough money…Wait…Don't tell me…" Aegis felt horrible inside as he realized the only source of money that was readily available. These homeless men and women who had worked alongside of Aegis to keep the shelter open, they had given it all up, just for his sake. The happiness he felt was becoming corrupted with feelings of uncontrollable guilt, he suddenly didn't want to accept the second chance. It cost too much just for him to indulge in a childhood dream.

"Don't even think about it, boy!" Earl shook Aegis roughly as he saw the impending signs of his conscience take over. "You haven't heard the entire story yet, so don't jump to conclusions until you do." Earl's gruff voice stopped Aegis' mental gears cold.

"At first the folks around here weren't too happy about the news of what happened. But we all got thinking. Isn't it shameful that all of us have to depend on one boy to make sure there's somewhere warm to sleep?" Earl paused as a consensus was agreed upon by all the drop-in center's inhabitants. "You did a lot for us, boy-no you're not a boy, I can't call you that anymore, Aegis. You did a lot for us. And it was more than win us some money."

"When you left we realized that we were making you work so hard for us, so we had no right to be upset. So, we decided to follow your example!" Earl motioned to a middle-aged man near the back of the gathering, the man smiling and waving back at Aegis.

"That's Jonathan, see he got divorced and never got back on his feet. But now he's really trying to turn his life around, has a job and is even talking to his ex. Oh, and Gloria over there," Earl turned Aegis around at a rather young adolescent who looked down shyly when mentioned.

"She never really fit in with her family and ended up here, but you should've seen how fired up she was when someone said how we might have to all go our separate ways. Aegis, you showed us that this was more than a haven from the winter. It's our home." Earl's words struck something in Aegis' soul. The flame that began to burn a few days ago redoubled in its efforts, igniting and illuminating the depths of his darkened soul.

"You're a real hero, Aegis." Finally Maria began to speak, only in a much more embracing tone than what she used to scold Aegis. And there it was once again. That word. Hero. Aegis could feel inadequate whenever someone wanted to label him with those four letters. The feeling that he was such a noble figure never sat well with him.

"I'm not…At least I don't think I am." The idea was being thrown at him so often that Aegis couldn't help but feel that some of the hero mantra was starting to stick.

"You are. Aegis, a hero inspires us to be more than we are. They make everyone around them want to be better. A hero is always looking forward, always moving ahead, and everyone around them just wants to chase after that strong back. We just want to run forward after you, Aegis." Maria's speech suddenly made it almost impossible for Aegis to deny his applied title.

"I thought writing corny lines was my job." Maria appeared as if she was trying to stop from grabbing onto Aegis' ear yet again. Aegis' body had rebooted itself, his frontal lobe was receiving blood again, the motor cortex becoming responsive and able to force his legs to operate. Aegis stood back up and took in the moment.

Somehow, something from above saw fit to give him that second chance. It was perfect. Somehow he had made things worse, yet the world allowed things to get better. Or maybe it really was something that he had started. A seed he had planted in the hearts of every one of society's neglected that gathered in the center. The harvest was done without even knowing, and the profit was simply handed to Aegis.

"Is it really that simple? I just…Get on a plane and that's it?" Aegis realized at the end of the day, the big life changing moment really was just defined by walking onto a plane.

"That's the plan at least. You're lucky you came back now since the plane is leaving tomorrow!" Maria shrugged off the snipe Aegis made, ensuring the mood would still be intact. "You have a lot to do tonight, Aegis."

Maria reached to the side and onto a tabletop, picking something up off of it. "The first thing is to get rid of those beat up clothes for this." She produced the royal blue trenchcoat Aegis had left behind. The article of clothing was still worn out and fading away, yet it almost felt like it was brand new in some way.

Earl began to shift at the sight of the long coat. He reached into his coat and mumbled something under his breath wearily. Aegis looked over at what was going on just as Earl pulled his hand out of the coat, in it the tarnished silver gauntlet that was Aegis' duel-disk.

"Where has my head gone? I forgot to give this back when I first ran into you." Aegis smiled to himself amusedly. A fair bit of grief would have been saved if Earl had gave him the gauntlet earlier, but it was fine. He took the metal garment from Earl, turning it over in his hands to examine its scratched exterior. _"This is who I am after all."_

Aegis strapped the metal glove to his right arm, flexing his fingers and rotating his steel covered hand before clenching it into a fist. "Right then. I have a lot to do, let's get started."

The night before the beginning of the Millennium Tournament Aegis found himself unable to sleep. He stayed in a hotel that was a twenty minute walk from the tournament site, but it was the best he could do being such a late entry and not being sponsored by a prestigious company, or a city for that matter.

The flight from Spirare seemed to be a passing dream. Aegis was fortunate enough to have a window seat and spent the entire flight looking out the window at the clouds. After landing he took in the change in scenery. The buildings looked the same as in Spirare, though he was halfway around the world from where he started nothing really seemed to change too much.

To describe the city in a word, it was blank. A perfect Tabula Rasa from which Aegis could write the story of his epic as he shot for the championship of the Millennium Tournament. It was an incredible feeling that empowered his body with superhuman strength and stamina.

Aegis walked the entire way to the hotel, a staggering two hour trip by foot in a gentle snowfall. But the cold could not affect him, his body was burning up in thinking of dueling the world, an honour that would only come to a select few every leap year.

After arriving at his hotel he wasted no time in unpacking his one duffel bag worth of possessions. All he had taken with him was the dozens of hats he had gotten from the drop-in center, and a few extra cards they had also given him before the flight. Aegis first dismantled Noah's deck for the very first time. It pained him to violate the sacred privacy of the deck, it simple wasn't his so it made him feel wrong. The original deck Aegis used was lost years ago during the incident with Noah, so with no other choice Aegis murmured an apology and sought to prepare for his first match in a few days.

Aegis spent his time in his room, not preparing so much as he was just relaxing. Laying on the satin sheets and watching European television. Despite how big of a moment it was, Aegis couldn't fire himself up to the point of toiling away in preparation. It just seemed more appropriate to enjoy the moment.

Still, it didn't stop him from taking apart Noah's deck a second time on the night before the opening day of the Millennium Tournament. By the time Aegis finished it was well past midnight. Knowing the value of a good night's sleep, Aegis did his best to fall into slumber. Yet he couldn't calm his racing heart or his burning soul. He wanted the new day to dawn in the next second so he could start on the path to glory.

At three in the morning Aegis gave up any attempt to fall asleep and instead stepped outside onto the balcony. Opting to sit in a char he dragged outside with a warm cup of tea in one his left hand and his head resting in the cool metal encasing his right.

Aegis amused himself by retracing the day's events. He had not done very much so it might be why the day felt so short. Then again, from years of being a vagrant Aegis found he normally travelled in the night. During the day he would stay fixed somewhere with enough light to write by. By night he would have to move to somewhere safe for the night. Thus, he was a natural dweller of darkness.

"I used to wake up extra early to try and get the most out of the day. Now I think I feel the most alive under the night sky." It was the middle of the night during winter, so no one would hear Aegis musing aloud. His hair was messy from tossing and turning to fall asleep, and as a result it was one of the few times both of Aegis' eyes were visible. It gave him a clear view of the cityscape, just shadows with patches of light thrown in here and there. A rather gentle and surreal view.

He was amused with his life to a certain extent. Tracing the steps that led him to where he sat that night. The man he was and the man he is. Somehow the two were very different from each other, yet there was no true difference, only in perception.

"In the end, the sky will always be the same. Just how I see it will change night form night. When and where I look up there it'll always be the same sky." Aegis' words almost seemed to have meaning beyond what he intended, only saying the first thing that came to mind without any real thought.

"I…Never thought I'd come this far again. I missed the last Millennium Tournament because of what happened five years ago. I already disappeared from this world by the time it came around." Aegis paused and swirled around the steaming cup of tea he had in his hand.

"Five years later I'm back in this world. Yet nothing seems different about me. No, I was different before. Now I'm starting to find the person I used to be, who I really am supposed to be." Aegis chuckled. For making a joke out of the speech Maria gave the day before, he felt he had to suffer some karma for saying such things himself.

"Nightfall came. It stayed for a very long time. But the sun will always rise again, daybreak will happen sooner or later, and the veil will be lifted." Aegis let his mouth vocalize the thoughts as they came to him. For a moment Aegis wanted to get out of his frosted seat to get a pen and paper. _"I should write this down. My editor might like it."_

Another laugh escaped Aegis. A hearty sound that made his body quake with each reiteration. The tournament would start in a few hours. The Millennium Tournament. Aegis' dream. It was a day he waited his life for and it was dawning.

No amount of snow or ice kept the crowds from lining up hours before the Millennium Tournament's start. All for prime seats as close to the action as possible. To sit so close to the duels that they could feel the breath of each monster. And to Aegis' boyish delight, he would have no part in it. Simply flashing the duelist card he was given and bypassing everyone.

Aegis knew that his friends from the center would be glued to the television to watch his duel. So to honour their dedication to a shabby man like himself, he made sure to wear at least one hat each duel. Starting the day, Aegis opted for a black cowboy hat. It was the closest to his old travelling hat and provided him with the ability to hide his face, his favorite tactic of intimidation.

It worked rather well no matter how many times he did it. The other duelists instantly recognized Aegis from his long flowing trenchcoat and the possession of lavish headgear. After hearing of his performance against the tournament favorite, Iris Lifian, Aegis' mere presence invoked fear and competition in those around him. _"I love it! This feeling of rivalry! I can't get enough! And for such high stakes! I feel invincible!"_ Aegis did feel like a kid in a candy story as he walked into the lobby area. It was simply too good to be true, but it was.

"Aegis Hallow." Aegis Hallow froze up at being beckoned. The perfect moment ended. That voice. That overconfident, smug, superior tone. That singsong, almost alluring voice. Who else could it be? Iris Lifian.

Aegis tipped his hat up and turned around to confront the source of the sound. Much to his annoyance, Iris mimicked the action with _his_ hat. The hat that Aegis had lost in the wager against Iris was very quaintly worn by Iris for their confrontation. It was maddening.

"Iris." Aegis couldn't hide the disgruntled undertones, he didn't bother trying either. "Not here to give my hat back are you?" The question went unanswered, though Iris did smile slyly.

"I heard of what happened in Spirare." Iris wasted no time in going on the offensive. For some reason Aegis found everything she said was able to hit him off guard.

"Yeah. Well. Stuff happens." The response was weak at best. Aegis could feel himself sweating a bit as the confrontation had also drawn the attention of other people.

"If Spirare has disowned you, then who are you representing?" Iris posed a very strange question. Aegis still found he was annoyed to be surprised at such a strange tangent in the conversation.

"No one. I'm representing myself." Aegis answered honestly, though he felt a bit tentative in pushing forward the response.

Iris' smile widened for some reason. The response amused her perhaps? She tipped her won hat down over her face to only leave a smile in sight. "Is that so?"

Aegis flinched instinctively, recalling the woman's very blunt way in dealing with Aegis during their parting last time. "Y-yeah. Who are you representing? I heard that Spirare decided to send three people, are you here on Spirare's behalf?" No good, Aegis should've learned by then that it was impossible to beat Iris at her own mind-games. His question only made her smile widen.

"No. I don't live in Spirare so I cannot represent it, Aegis." Aegis wanted to then follow up with the next most logical question, why was she in Spirare then? But Iris moved faster and took control of the conversation yet again.

"Your first opponent, do you know who it is?" The question seemed rhetorical in how it was asked. But Aegis knew the answer.

"Yeah. Some guy named Ark. Don't tell me he's your rival or something." The prospect of dealing with someone that was considered to already be on the same level of Iris would be a lot of pressure for him, especially since Aegis' match would be the very first of the Millennium Tournament.

"No. I don't know who this Ark is." A sigh of relief escaped Aegis, which instantly flipped Iris' smile into a disapproving frown. "That's the problem. No one knows who Ark is." Suddenly a stone plummeted into Aegis' stomach.

"Well…I'm also an unknown technically. What's the big deal?" Aegis had developed a foreboding feeling. A spectre had materialized behind him, wrapping its arms around his neck in its icy embrace. His silver eye had begun to throb behind the curtain of black hair as well. Perhaps Iris was right, there might be something more to his opponent, Ark.

"Possibly nothing. Good luck then, Aegis. I will be watching." Iris' parting words didn't help Aegis one bit. It actually made him feel more nervous, saying such a thing usually meant some ulterior motive. Aegis watched as Iris turned around and very elegantly carried herself out of the room, actually the eyes of all the other male duelists were tracing her progression.

_"Can't…I ever enjoy a moment?"_

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the opening of the tenth Millennium Tournament!" A familiar voice blasted through the massive stadium. David was a very high ranking judge in the administrative world of Duel Monsters. He had worked diligently for years and it was not his first time as the announcer for the prestigious event.

David stood in the very center of a massive metal field with endless rows of seats that circled around him, going upwards to the sky above. The stadium was twice the size of the one David announced at in Spirare. With the best quality sound system in that part of the world and massive monitors everywhere that showed the dueling field in ridiculously high definition. The ceiling was built as a clear dome. It allowed natural sunlight to pierce the stadium and illuminate all present.

"It is my honour to be here with each and everyone of you as your announcer today! But enough about me! You've all waited very patiently these last four years to see these duelists fight it out here! The very finest of the world has gathered here today to sweat, to cry, and to pour themselves into their duels for all the world to see! Let us give them the respect that every one of these fine men and women deserve!" David's skill in working the crowd was impressive as usual. Even Aegis felt a strong bond with David just because of what he said; his skill was truly awe inspiring. _"I really need to thank David. Well, I'll put on a good show for him to watch at least."_

"To kick off the tournament, we have two spectres facing off against each other! One of them is a ghost from the dueling world five years ago, and the other drifted in from the netherworld to shoot for the title!" David lowered his voice to try and put forth an eerie mood, trying to unnerve some of the weaker willed in the audience.

"The man who has conquered death and even tamed the Grim Reaper himself, I give you the ever mysterious Aegis Hallow!" Aegis' controversial status caused a great deal of mixed reactions, from cheering to jeering. But none of the negative reactions could piece the armor Aegis had formed from his new confidence. The glass shard from Origin that told him who he was. The people that believed in him from Spirare. These two things were all Aegis needed.

He strode out confidently, the cowboy hat sitting nicely on his head. A defiant smirk all over Aegis' face as he savoured each step towards the metal dueling field. _"I don't care who this Ark is! I won't back down after coming this far!"_

"And his opponent, an enigma in itself, all I know is three little letters about this duelist, 'A' 'R' 'K'. Here he is, Ark!" The introduction was simple, but it was sufficient for the entity that walked out opposite of Aegis.

Ark was a towering man, standing at almost seven feet tall. However there was not much else to his appearance. His entire body was covered up in a long white trenchcoat that went down to his ankles. His hands were covered as well in white gloves as well. Ark even went far enough to cover his entire head with a large white fedora. But it seemed like there was also a white cloth wrapped around Ark's head, Aegis wondered how he could even see in such a state.

But it wasn't just Ark's appearance that was strange. He walked very oddly as well. All of his movements were jerky and exaggerated, he moved like a puppet. Still, Aegis wouldn't be surprised if the man had his share of eccentricities, it wasn't like Aegis hadn't met a strange person.

Ark reached his position on the dueling field, a portion of it opening up in front of him to let a metal pedestal appear. Ark had no visible duel-disk on, so he had to use the built in holographic projectors of the stadium. Aegis got over his strange luck at dueling yet another oddball, arming his duel-disk swiftly, the blade ejecting and lighting up.

"Not a word between the two, what serious duelists! Alright, let's start the Millennium Tournament! DUEL!" David leapt off of the dueling field as he shouted, the crowd roaring. The monitors lit up with portraits of both duelists appearing, the life point counters ticking up to 8000.

(Ark: 8000 Aegis: 8000)

Aegis appeared to have the first move, though it was hard to tell if Ark let him have the initiative or just couldn't object in time. It didn't matter, he was on his way to getting the first of many wins.

With a grandiose swipe, Aegis added a sixth card to his opening hand. When he looked at it he felt an old sense of familiarity. _"Noah…This one is for you!"_

"I summon Orpheus in attack mode! (1900/1600)" Aegis' signature monster took life on the metal field. The mechanical silver body given life, Orpheus' red scarf flapping in stimulated wind as his slit white eyes stared forward past his snowy white hair. "I'll end my turn with that."

Ark's right arm jerkily twitched forward, clumsily grabbing onto a card. The duelist did not even appear to look at the card before playing it wordlessly. It appeared from the effects of the projectors that Ark was summoning a monster.

On Ark's field a silver humanoid body formed. Its limbs were oddly shaped and were a bit disproportioned for a human body, but it was definitely human based. On the monster's back there was a large stringed instrument strapped to the thin torso. The head of the entity was black skinned, having only two colorless slits for eyes that blended in well with its white hair.

Aegis stumbled backwards, as if he was struck by a truck. His right eye began to sting the second the monster's form came into sight of the milky eye.

"Impossible! That's…ORPHEUS?! (1900/1600)" Aegis knew it was impossible. It had to have been a monster with the ability to copy another monster. But even in that case such a card would always show its true form first. But the pain in his eye told him it wasn't the case.

Ark paid no attention to the stunned duelist, or the confused expressions of the crowd. Instead his jerky hand reached for another card and placed it onto the pedestal, the reaction was immediate. A green spell card formed on the field, the image and the name was something Aegis knew.

"Spirit Light?! How?!" Aegis' body tensed up, his guard and defences mobilizing. Who was Ark?!

Aegis watched carefully as Ark's jerky right hand showed him the spirit monster Yamata Dragon. A 2600 attack spirit which Aegis knew he would discard to empower Ark's Orpheus. The doppelganger of Orpheus glowed a fiery crimson, a flame encasing the silver body. The second Orpheus then reached for his harp, armed it and then struck a harsh melody for Aegis' Orpheus. A jolt of lightning streaked through the sky and besieged the original, an anguished cry coming from its mechanized vocal chords before shattering.

(Ark: 8000 Aegis: 5400)

"What's the meaning of this?! No one else can have these cards!" Aegis' right eye began to ache more after the destruction of the original Orpheus. Ark gave no response, simply staring at Aegis without any eyes.

Aegis' instincts told him that he was in grave danger, and it acted on it. He plunged his left hand into his trenchcoat and took out the wrapped glass shard. In one fluid motion he unravelled the cloth that concealed it and swiftly launched it straight at Ark with the expertise of an assassin.

Ark did nothing to avoid the glass, a direct hit in the face. The man bent backwards from the sheer force Aegis used in his throw. The audience gasped, Aegis had just launched a deadly weapon at his opponent, and it appeared from where it struck it was a fatal blow.

Ark's white hat fell to the ground, and so did the white wrapping. Yet he himself did not tumble over. Instead he actually jolted straight up, with a large glass shard lodged in the center of his 'head'. That was the problem, what was his head.

Aegis was floored at what he saw. Ark had no face. What was under the hat and the wrappings was nothing more than a bundle of hay. Ark raised a hand to point at Aegis, but in the process the glove had slipped off, there was no hand there, just more hay. Ark was nothing more than a bundle of tied hay!

"What's going on…?" Aegis took a step away from the entity. His right eye was almost screaming for him to escape. Something was going to happen, but he couldn't think. It was too late anyway.

All of a sudden the false head of Ark changed dramatically. A pair of black eyes opened, staring straight at Aegis. Beneath them a mouth opened up, a black void that twisted into a demonic smile. There was no escape.

Ark's body broke free from the white trenchcoat, black streams firing out from the body. The entire dueling field erupted in black matter that shot up into the air. Aegis tried to run, but a wall of the black substance cut him off from the rest of the world. The only part of him that escaped in time was the cowboy hat he had on, falling off of his head when Aegis halted before colliding with the black barrier. The light slowly faded, the sun vanishing from Aegis.

A chill went down Aegis' spine. All he could see was a sinister void. A black nothingness. It was darkness manifest, and Aegis knew exactly what it meant. He was back in the Shadow Realm.

The feeling of hopelessness, of despair, it was overwhelming. Aegis found it hard to stand; he could feel his confidence crumbling under the weight of the memories of five years ago.

"Master of the shadows."

Then a voice began to speak. It spoke loudly. Confidently. It brought Aegis out of his spiral into the past and into an impossible present.

"The man who could tame Death."

It was a familiar voice. No, it wasn't just familiar, it was real.

"His soul would burn the brightest in all the universe!"

Aegis began to raise his eyes upwards, off of the void below to start to look forward.

"The King of Kings!"

Somehow, somehow Aegis saw something that should not be before him. He opened his mouth, just as the other did and in unison they both cried:

"NOAH ETHEREAL!"


	10. Turn 10: There and Back Again Part 2

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 10****: There and Back Again: Heroic Soul**

"Five years, Aegis. It's been awhile." Smooth as ice and as frigid as it, the voice that spoke felt like it was embodied by Death's presence.

Aegis collapsed backwards and onto an invisible ground in the black void. He was sweating profusely, the liquid causing his hair to separate and form into thin strands. It gave both of Aegis' eyes a perfect and crystal clear view of what was before him.

Just under six feet tall decked out in the finest white tuxedo that Aegis had ever seen, his old childhood friend stood proudly where the former Ark was. White silk gloves on each hand. A polished white dress shoes that were just below pristine silk white dress pants that seamlessly flowed upwards into a magnificently crafted white dress shirt. Over it was the same white jacket that Aegis last remembered the man to wear. And past its collar was a head of long spiked white hair that were untamed. Even the man's eyes were silver, the irises glinting through the darkness.

"N-Noah…How?" Aegis could barely talk. His throat was collapsing in on itself, it was impossible for Noah to be alive…He…He…Aegis had dealt the killing blow with his own hands years ago.

"Who do you think I am?" Noah laughed harshly. "I told you! My soul will burn the brightest in all the universe! Not even the Shadow Realm can claim me for its own!" Noah folded his arms together at the pedestal, his face smirking confidently.

"What…Do you mean?" Aegis' body could operate properly, but he did not wish to get up. He couldn't stand up in front of the man he had killed. There was too much shame in trying to even look towards his face. It was Aegis' worst nightmare, to have to face Noah again after that day five years ago.

When Noah had performed his final experiment, he had pulled himself and Aegis into the Shadow Realm. The shadows were terrifying to Aegis, the very surroundings were pulsating with a strange arcane life that yearned for his. Yet, Noah was not fazed and beckoned forth for the shadows to come for him.

And they came, the darkness enveloped him, and in return Noah received his wish. All his years of work was ultimately to gain a physical manifestation of his soul, which he turned into a deck of Duel Monster cards. In the end Aegis could never understand why Noah was so fixated on the task, cards were just cards there was no deep meaning to them.

No, Aegis and Noah both knew of the cards that could bend and distort reality as they knew it. Noah wanted power. So, Aegis challenged him to a Shadow Game. The stakes were the players' lives. Only the winner would leave the Shadow Realm, the loser forever lost to the abyss.

His conflicted halves fought against each other for so long, Aegis' loyalty to Noah, the childhood friend who supported him for his entire life. Then the other half of him, the part that knew of the evil Noah could commit if he had more power to corrupt him. But it was finally time for the greater good to be considered, Aegis' selfishness in keeping Noah alive had cost millions their lives. Noah had to be stopped.

The two duelled fiercely. Aegis suffered at the hands of the Noah's newfound deck, spirits bombarding his body after being empowered and given physical form by the shadows. Aegis fought back as best as he could with his battered soul, his cards unable to do much more than superficial injuries to Noah. Until he drew the card he had received from Kiris.

Seeing it in his hand, Aegis recalled on a trip from just the previous year. It was a reminder of what he couldn't save. The memento of a past he would never repeat. Aegis shattered Noah's resolve, and even in the face of his ultimate monster, Death, Aegis shattered his friend's soul. He tossed the fragments back into the abyss where Noah could no longer reach the world and cause anymore grief, at least not to anyone other than Aegis.

When Aegis left the Shadow Realm he had lost his original deck, instead he found the one Noah used and created. It was a twisted joke that the gods had played on him. Giving Aegis such a thing, a reminder that he still had Noah's life in his hands. Those cards were all he dreamed about, and to destroy them would truly mean Aegis had forsake that child from the orphanage.

Aegis couldn't find it in himself to play Duel Monsters after the incident. He was skilled in the game already, the world broadcasted it. It was a constant reminder that he was no different than an assassin, using his skills to end another's life. It wasn't why he started playing the game. It wouldn't be why he would continue.

Now, five years since the day, Aegis found he may have not moved one inch ahead of where he stood last time. Still facing Noah, still in anguish, still torn between his loyalty and duty. Perhaps nothing had changed, or if they did they only changed back to that one day.

"Aegis…I'll have to thank you for beating me in that Shadow Game." What Noah had said was not even remotely sincere, only dark and sinister. Still, Aegis wanted it to mean something good, and lifted his head to look into the face of his old friend.

"The shadows never claimed me. No, actually I claimed them." Noah's smile became twisted. A light chuckle passed through his lips, Noah's arms unfolding themselves.

"I retained my soul, keeping my consciousness intact. Slowly, I began to control parts of this realm. Soon the shadows were my hands, and I found that they could start reaching into the real world." At Noah's command the darkness around Aegis began to open up, long spindly arms appearing all around him.

"I found that my power was even growing over time. I was suddenly able to project a part of myself into the real world, albeit no more than that stack of straw. Still, it was enough. I was able to live again. But it wasn't enough!" The arms around Aegis suddenly shifted and began to point at him. Aegis shrunk under them, each one feeling as if it was prosecuting him. His heart was about to give out from the torment he and Noah was subjecting it to. The shadows were finally starting to take their toll on Aegis.

"No matter how hard I tried I could do no more than control that puppet, it was no substitute for a real mortal body. So I spent all this time looking for one. Even in here I was aware of the Millennium Tournament. I originally planned to capture the winner and take their body. With a body in the real world, and my power in the Shadow Realm I would become a God! My power far overwhelming any mere mortal! But…" Noah paused thoughtfully, turning his head to the side so he could look at Aegis inquisitively with a single silver eye.

The hands latched onto Aegis' body abruptly. Lifting him up by the arms so he could be level with Noah. Aegis did not respond, simply allowing his body to be moved for him. His mind had turned off so it would not collapse under the weight of his heavy heart. His eyes were glazed over, breathing shallow as he listened deafly for Noah to continue.

"I felt your presence. I decided I would use my power to capture _you_ in the Shadow Realm and take your body to pay you back for trapping me here!" Noah cackled, and still no response from Aegis. It was then a faint frown passed over Noah's features, though it was only for a second.

"_Still torturing yourself?"_

"…Seems like you're not going to put up a fight. Fine by me. I'll just take it from you! Your body! Your soul! Your life!" At the words, hundreds of the black arms erupted from the void, shooting up and out to seek out Aegis' body.

It wasn't long before his entire self was covered up by the writhing arms. They slowly began to drag the limp body back into the abyss with them as they vanished. Aegis was aware of what was going on, but he felt no urge to fight against his fate. Simply falling away into nothing. He could feel his consciousness crumbling as he began to lose his sense of identity.

Aegis? What was that?

A person? Who was that?

What is an Aegis?

His eyes slowly began to close. The hands covering up his skin and face in their cold grip. He was fading away into the abyss to spend the rest of eternity as nothing.

The painful thoughts began to vanish with all of his mental abilities. It wasn't horribly unpleasant, by then his brain was no longer able to communicate with his nervous system, so the cold hands on his skin were nothing. Slowly each thought drained out of his mind, the hands pulling him deeper and deeper into the void.

_"I'll miss them…"_

Involuntarily a thought came to Aegis. A random mental process that didn't vanish immediately. As the thought remained a longing developed in Aegis' heart. With his heart aching the icy cold hands became almost painful in how freezing they were. With his body aware again his mind became aware.

_"There…Are people waiting for me…"_

Aegis began to reopen his eyes, they were still uncovered and it gave Aegis a chance to look forward at Noah. For some reason there was no big reaction when looking at Noah caused by the past, yet it was a pain caused by the present that made Aegis shift.

There were people that were watching the events at the Millennium Tournament fearfully. And more importantly there were people that watched desperately for Aegis' fate. They were his friends, no, they were his family. More importantly, there was a thought that Aegis held onto desperately.

_"I want to see them again!"_

Aegis could feel himself tearing up at the thought of never seeing his loved ones again. The thought troubled him greatly; it was a horrid sensation that made Aegis' body feel like it was covered in filth. He began to struggle against the hundreds of spindly arms holding him and pulling him downwards.

_"Earl…Maria…Everyone…I want to see them again…I want to stay with them. I want to spend my days with them. I want to grow old with them by me. I…I want to live."_

As more thoughts came to Aegis, he became aware of what would happen in mere moments. He would be claimed by darkness. He would die.

_"I don't want to die! I…I want to see it again! That clear blue sky under that summer sun!"_

Tears flowed freely from Aegis' eyes. The anguish in the crushed faces of his friends forced the hot liquid from his eyes. He didn't want to imagine Maria's breakdown if he didn't survive, nor did he want to think of Earl mopping around for the rest of his days. The children who had lost their big playmate and those men and women that looked to him as their role model. Each one of them was a precious face to Aegis.

_"I want to live! I want to see them again! I…I even want to see that stupid Iris again!"_

A thin smile uncontrollable broke through Aegis' face. Even a laugh broke through his chocked vocal chords, he couldn't believe that a part of himself wanted to see that pompous smile of hers, but his heart seemed to betray his head.

_"I want to live!"_

**"I WANT TO LIVE!"**

First Aegis' right arm shot forward, ripping through the thin black arms. Then it would be his entire left side that tore through his restraints. The hands falling apart like tissue paper, fading away into nothing. Finally, with his freed left leg, Aegis slammed it onto a metaphysical floor and kicked off of it, propelling himself forward and free from all of the shadows, hurtling forward and landing roughly a meter away.

"_That heart is still beating. I'm glad to see that, Aegis."_

"So you do want to fight, Aegis. Fine by me, it would be no fun to just take everything away without having you suffer first." Noah sounded amused, laughing under his breath as Aegis slowly got back onto his hands and knees.

"You're…Not the Noah I knew. So I won't hold back…" Aegis slowly brought himself back to his feet, his body and mind united again. Carefully Aegis looked at Noah with sheer determination, the burnt right side of his face uncovered, the silver eye blazing in the void.

"_Show it __to me, Aegis. That burning soul!"_

(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 5400)

"My turn, Noah!" Aegis appeared to be back in fighting form, picking up right where he left off. The copy of Orpheus stood faithfully by its master, Noah. Both entities shining in nonexistent light. Aegis picked up the cards he had dropped after uncovering Ark, but to his confusion they were blank.

When he examined the cards they began to fade away. Horrified by the turn of events, Aegis desperately grabbed a handful of cards from the deck in his duel-disk. Each one of them was white and blank, and then faded away into oblivion. Aegis was at a lose for words, he had no idea what was going on. Perhaps he was set up to lose no matter what?! No, there had to be something he could do!

"No move, Aegis?" Noah chuckled darkly, swiping a card from the top of his deck. "You didn't think I'd let you keep using my soul for yourself, did you?!" Noah blasted Aegis full of ridicule, the shadows appearing to laugh in time.

"I'll activate Binding Ritual to bring back my Yamata Dragon! (2600/3100)" Noah's move was reminiscent of what Aegis himself would have used given the chance. Massive dark steel links shot into the ground, passing through a different dimension, creating a rippling effect like passing through a pond. The chains halted and then began to pull back, dragging up a mass of gigantic gray dragon heads. The writhing mass of serpentine heads were hissing and snapping angrily, each of the heads' ruby eyes looking wildly at Aegis.

"Let me show you the true power of my soul, Aegis! Understand that you will never be able to control this deck!" Noah's words turned on a light-bulb in Aegis' head. He was right. Aegis had been using _his_ cards, Noah's soul. Being back in the Shadow Realm where Noah had first crafted his deck, Aegis had a slight inclination of what to do himself. But it was a question of whether or not Noah would allow him.

"Don't think I'm finishing up here, Aegis! I summon Spirit Caller now! (1800/0)" Next to the towering, writhing dragon, a dark purple robe materialized. It assumed the form of a hunchbacked man, carrying a small lit candle in one hand.

"With a spirit on the field I can summon Heroic Spirit Freya to keep bolstering my ranks! (2300/0)" Noah's grinning was not nearly as wide as he intended it to be. But it was too late to call back the monster, a crimson knight with two massive white angel wings descended onto the playing field.

"_I got carried away. This is too much…That's already 8600 points. But now it's too late, I have to at least do something plausible now."_

"What do you think of that, Aegis?!" Noah bellowed and caused the abyss to quake. Aegis was sweating profusely. He couldn't believe that he would be betrayed by Noah's deck so easily. He had just survived the Shadow Realm only to lose to its master! _"No! This…I can't believe it! I came so far only to fail here! I refuse to accept it!"_

"I'm setting a card facedown, then I'll launch an attack with my Yamata Dragon!" Noah had no remorse in his declaration. The beast obeyed and all eight heads stopped, reared up with shut mouths that were spewing out crimson flames. Aegis took a step back, doing his best to dig a leg in, lowering down a bit with arms up over his head. This was the Shadow Realm where the projections of the monsters were real and could cause him great pain if he wasn't prepared.

With mind and body as prepared as best as he could, the beast let loose a torrent of fire that engulfed Aegis. The fire did not destroy his body, yet it attacked his soul. He could feel something deep inside of himself being scorched by the heat his body did not feel, still it didn't matter as the pain was universal. Aegis cried out in agony, but forced himself to stay upright, standing his ground until the bitter end.

(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 2800)

_"If this is how I die, then I won't back down from it either!" _Aegis lowered his arms to stare straight at Noah. Eyes fierce, radiating a feral hatred from being attacked. His right eye was aching from the attack and from being forced into the realm where ether and matter were of no meaning. Still, he knew that the eye was emitting a bright light that he used to stare straight through Noah.

"Since my dragon attacked you, I can draw five new cards!" Noah paused his taunting to replenish his empty hand. "Now I'll attack with Spirit Caller as well. When he attacks, if he causes damage to you then I draw a card, if it's a spirit I summon it to the field!" _"I think I know how to fix this problem. He just needs one chance. I know he'll do it! Now come on!"_

The robed figure moved slightly, raising its candle up in the air. The small flame turned blue and then a fireball spat out of the small candle wick. Aegis raising his right arm to block out as much of the fire as he could, but still suffering at the scorching heat. But it didn't take a lot more from Aegis, so he kept standing through the second hazing by fire.

(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 1000)

_"This is it…If only I could've fought back!"_ Aegis grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He did his best to put on a strong face, with both fists clenched and ready to punch out the Grim Reaper the first chance he sees him.

"Now I draw a card!" Noah's hand twitched for a second, then he threw a card off of his deck. Noah paused to take a long look into what he had drawn. For a second relief crossed his face, but then it was replaced by incredible disgust.

"If I draw a spirit monster I have to summon it, and I drew the spirit called Poltergeist (300/0)" Among the massive army, a tiny gray wisp materialized. A tiny little entity that had two knobs for arms, a single blinking eye and a long red tongue that hung out of its mouth.

"When this monster is summoned all monsters on the field switch their battle positions, so fortunately for you, all of my remaining monsters must go to defence mode." _"Of course this deck would do what I need it to. Now the rest is up to you, Aegis."_

Aegis sneered. He had got his second chance, and with it, his life back. Aegis began to fire off cards from Noah's deck, still in his duel-disk. Each one was blank but it didn't matter, he was looking for one specific card.

A pile of useless white paper began to build up and then fade away, Aegis taking the time to be careful and not to toss away the one card he was looking for.

"_Aegis. Your will, your __soul is so strong it's ridiculous. I want to see what it will look like."_

Finally Aegis found the card he was looking for, the monster that once brought him to his knees when he used it: Spirit of the Betrayer.

Aegis looked at it, seeing only the image of a man he once was. There was a moment where he wished he could go back to being that simpler man, one who only had to worry about a simple problem. Still, in his years of travelling Aegis had done many things he never thought he would do, thoughts crossing his once innocent mind and corrupting it forever. One more insidious thought wouldn't hurt anyone other than himself.

_"I don't want to die yet…I don't want anyone else to die either…"_

With one final glance at the card in his hand, Aegis tossed it straight up in the air.

"You, are not who I am anymore!" Aegis cried out into the darkness, and then cleaved through the paper with decisive blow from his bladed duel-disk. The two halves of the paper drifted to the ground and vanished. Aegis felt cleansed at the act, and then placed his right hand over his face, covering up the light coming from his eye.

_"This will be the start then."_

Aegis removed his hand from his face and then directed his gaze straight into the empty deck-holder. With the eye that was infused with a technology he never could dream of, he stared at where his deck should be, where he would have to put his soul. Kiris left it for him for some reason, maybe this would be one of them. _"Come on…This worked for Noah, this has to work for me!" _Aegis tore himself away from the device and with his left hand he reached to draw a card.

There was nothing in his hand, so Aegis shut his eyes, tuning out the darkness. Then he reached again, trying to feel for something, anything. His left hand found the metal wrist first, then it found its way to the deck-holder, and with one more burst of willpower, Aegis found that his finger ran into something. Despite hoping for something to happen, Aegis was still shocked to have done the task so easily. His eyes shot wide open, looking at the spot and finding a stack of cards sitting there.

"_That's the way to do it! You're on the way to being a hero now. Your soul was strong enough to control the shadows, you forged it into something.__ That's the heroic spirit you need, the determination to face the world!"_

"Let's see how well you do when I fight back, Noah! I'm drawing a new hand, and my sixth card, so deal with it, you occult freak!" Aegis hurled one of his own insults back at Noah, the force of it surprising Noah and making him flinch.

With a swift swing, Aegis grabbed a total of six cards from his new deck, looking at the new images surrounding him. Noah waited patiently for Aegis to finish his evaluation, he was also eager to find out how the cards had turned out. Finally the verdict was in, Aegis' undecided face turning into a devious grin.

"_So you're alright with who you really are? Of course you would be. I always knew who you truly were."_

"Your monsters will go back into attack mode as I play this, Curse of Fiend! It causes all the battle positions to switch!" Aegis sneered back at Noah as he looked confused at the course of action.

"_Aegis…Why are you doing this? It'll be easier if you left my monsters in defence mode…No, it wouldn't be your style. You want __to face people fairly in fights. You wouldn't feel right if you destroyed my spirits if they were defending."_

"I'm summoning Dragon Module in attack mode! (1800/1200)" To defend its master, a large white sphere materialized before Aegis. The orb then broke apart into metal fragments that oriented themselves in the air to resemble a long serpent spine. After the fragments positioned themselves, a spark of electricity fired in-between the parts until a silver plasma filled out the body to an Eastern Dragon.

"_Aegis…You've given yourself to the world. Everything you have, you've just handed out to those in need. I've done something u__nforgivable and taken the most from you. You don't have enough left to even know who you are anymore."_

"If I control only a single machine monster then I can special summon the union monster, Automated Soul! (0/0)" Above the partly immaterial dragon, a collection of floating colored squares blinked into existence. The trail of shapes and colors outlined a small ghostly spectre that simply waved back and forth in the air with no real purpose.

"_I've always looked up to you, you and that steady back. Never looking back…You were the hero. No matter how much I wished I could be a hero, you were the one that understood what it took. It wasn't power. It was your heart. You're so gentle that you still would save me if you could."_

"To match your spirit valkyrie, I'll also summon my machine valkyrie, Valkyrie Module! (2000/1600) As long as I control any number of machine monsters I can summon it from my hand." Noah flinched as Aegis put yet another monster into play. First it was also just a simple white metal orb, until it broke apart. The metal fragments forming into a minimalist suit of armor. Two of the larger fragments outlined the tops of two wings. As before a gold energy filed in the gaps between the armor to complete the machine.

"_When we first came here, I was twisted. I didn't understand what I was doing. When you challenged me I sought to kill you. I thought you betrayed me. But…As you dealt that final blow, I felt it.__" _

Noah's hand tensed up into a fist. His own mind delving back into the past, recalling the horrible fate he had put Aegis through. It hurt worse than his own demise, forcing him to scream out in turmoil as the shadows took him.

"_As my body was consumed by the shadows and my mind began to join the legion, I felt it. Your sorrow. Your pain. You never wanted to do it. You wanted to save me. But you had to save the world from me." _

"_It was then I understood what a terrible thing I had done to you. Ever since I wanted to set things right."_

"With three machines on the field I'll play one more monster, Chimera Module! (2200/2000)" Each time Aegis summoned a new monster his right eye would throb and a bright pulse of light was emitted from it. Each new card caused his head to ache, his senses taking a beating. Still he had to continue, the pain was tolerable, he wasn't a stranger to the sensation anyway.

One final massive silver sphere formed in the air, but only a few fragments broke off of it. The pieces outlining two massive legs, and a single head. A deep violet plasma filed out the machine's legs while the same plasma created a head that resembled a lion.

"_It's that heart of yours that turns you into a hero. But at the same time it's your greatest weakness. A hero cannot have their heart on their sleeve. You need to steel it, to protect it from the world, only showing it to those that mean the most.__ As your friend, and as someone who has taken so much, I will give to you what I have learned in the Shadow Realm. I will make you into a hero for this world, Aegis!"_

"_Please…I hope that our encounter this time leaves you in better shape than before. You…Were dead after that Shadow Game. But that heart is still beating. There's still something there, please find it!"_

Aegis stumbled back and forth, starting to lose his footing as the pain began to affect his ability to balance. It was a sensation he had felt before, right before he passed out at the end of his duel with James Raven. The only difference was that the pain was not as severe, coming on in gradual waves that ate at the senses.

"For…My final card, I activate Extract Soul. During the turn this spell card is played, any battle damage I cause is added to my life points!" Noah had difficulty in hiding his distress as Aegis lurched forward, only catching himself with a second to spare before tumbling over.

"Is the strain too much, Aegis?" Noah did his best to ask on the condition of his friend in a roundabout way. Aegis growled savagely at the statement and glared at Noah, the silver light felt like it could pierce through Noah's ethereal body.

"This…Is nothing! This body can withstand much more than this!" Noah fought fiercely to prevent himself from smiling. Aegis straightened up, fists clenched and ready to swing.

"_These are the things I've learned. A hero must be iron-willed. They must be true to their task. To protect the world, you are no longer of that world, you cannot live in it, you cannot live with those of it. You must…Sacrifice more, yet you must keep what is most vital, your soul. Never lose it, that soul is all you keep, it is the only thing you don't sacrifice. It is what allows you to live. That beating heart."_

"Machines…That's interesting, isn't it, Aegis?" Noah spoke thoughtfully, Aegis' rage subsiding for a moment to listen.

"I…Guess what happened with Kiris left its mark on you." Aegis scoffed, with his left hand he tapped thoughtfully under his lit up silver eye.

"Wonder what gave you that idea." The mocking made Noah flinch, it was evident from the eye and the burn scars on Aegis' face that the statement was self-evident.

"My machines are all very unique. For instance, if my life points are lower than yours, my Valkyrie Module's attack becomes 3000 (3000/1600)." The golden plasma pulsated briefly to vent off excess energy, trails of gold flames floating into the air.

"Automated Soul is a union monster like I said. As such, it can combine with a machine monster on the field, so I'll combine it with Dragon Module." The pixels of color drifted into the energy form of the silver dragon, flashes of luminescent colors flowing through the silver plasma. "Any battle damage that the monster equipped with Automated Soul causes is added to my life points as well!"

Noah's right hand began to tremble at the sight of Aegis' machines. Like his soul they were all determined mechanizations that felt as unyielding as their master. In one turn Aegis would wipe out the majority of his spirit army, bolster his life points and he had yet to even introduce his final monster, the towering Chimera Module that Noah knew had some powerful ability.

"Chimera Module's ability…Its…Its ability now activates!" Aegis' breathing began to increase, his face covered in sweat. Each action of his monster took a toll on Aegis as he could not control the exact actions of his eye. It simply felt like it was taking strength from his soul and pouring it out at random.

"_A hero is not glamorous. It is not pleasant. A hero is never a hero by choice, they are heroes chosen by fate. A hero is one with the most power in the world, they can destroy everything in a heartbeat. Yet because of this, only they can understand the fragility of this world. Only they can truly value peace. Peace, happiness, knowing how fleeting they are can a hero suffer for our ignorance as they fight for such ideals."_

"For every different attribute on my field, Chimera Module gains a new ability." At Aegis' words, two sets of metal fragments broke off from the main sphere. One segment turning into a forked serpent's tail that was fuelled with deep orange plasma. The second segment split into two parts that traced a pair of massive wings that filled out with emerald green plasma.

"My Dragon Module gives my chimera the ability to negate the effects of monsters it destroys in battle as it's an earth attribute monster. Valkyrie Module is a wind monster, allowing my chimera to attack twice in the same turn!" Through the pain he was feeling, Aegis was grinning madly at Noah, they both knew what would happen next, and it would be nothing good for Noah.

"First, Dragon Module (1800/1200) attacks your Yamata Dragon! (2600/3100)" Noah shifted an eyebrow upwards, Aegis laughing quietly to himself. "My Dragon Module gains half the target monster's attack points when it attacks, your Yamata Dragon will be destroyed! (3100/1200) Bolt From the Blue!"

Aegis' rainbow colored dragon reared up and breathed out a bolt of white lightning that pierced the hide of Noah's twisting dragon. The creature howled in agony and then split apart, exploding in fierce flames and wind that nearly pushed both duelists back.

(Noah: 7500 Aegis: 2000)

"I only caused you 500 points of damage, but by the effects of Extract Soul and Automated Soul, I'll gain a thousand life points!" As Aegis' life points finally increased, he could feel some energy coming into his soul. Noah on the other hand distorted in the darkness, the attack actually burning away a segment of his left forearm in blue flames. Noah cringed as he felt a piece of his soul get damaged; it took a great effort to stop from crying out in pain.

"_Finally…A hero…Is no more than a justified sinner. This is the most important thing I have learned. A hero in reality is no more than a fascist. They do not obey rules, they do not obey laws. To save many, you must forsake many__"._

" _A hero is no different from a villain, a hero does not think or feel differently from anyone else. They just see differently. Aegis…You must understand that to be a hero you must be the worst of all sinners. You must do horrendous deeds. Aegis…If it is you, then I know you can be steadfast."_

"Valkyrie Module (3000/1600) will take on your Heroic Spirit Freya (2300/0). Attack with Celestial Cleaver!" The golden pulsating valkyrie soared through the air at its crimson counterpart. Both valkyries launching at each other, one with a spear in hand, the other with a glowing blade of energy. The exchange was swift, and decisive, Noah's spirit being banished with a masterful cut through the torso.

(Noah: 6800 Aegis: 2700)

Another part of Noah lit on fire, blue flames chewing away at his left leg, the fire dying down just short of his knee. Slowly he could feel himself start to vanish into the shadows again.

"_As your final lesson, Aegis…Each hero needs a villain. Their foil, their mirror. To view the person they could have been, no, the person they still can be. To look into the face of a villain is to look into a reflection of yourself after one decision." _

"Chimera Module! (2200/2000) Destroy Poltergeist (300/0) and Spirit Caller (1800/0) with DNA Destruction!" Aegis' titan took flight, roared from its lion head and then soared straight at two of Noah's spirits, its body letting off two trails of fire that twisted and turned around each other. The robed figure and tiny apparition being vaporized in a heartbeat by the machine mutation.

(Noah: 4500 Aegis: 5100)

"_So, as your final lesson, you need a villain to view into. I will be that villain. I am myself right now, but I do not have your heart, that infinite kindness that has kept you from using your power. I will become tainted if I return to the real world. My power will corrupt me, and I will hurt millions." _

"How's that, Noah?!" Aegis' strength returned to him rapidly. The Shadow Realm operated strangely, but it was alright since for once it was in Aegis' favor. He watched carefully as two patches of blue flames engulfed both of Noah's arms. One eating away at his left shoulder until it was no more, the second burning away his right forearm, only leaving the hand intact.

"_So I am a villain. Aegis, you have to stop me. You have to kill me. This is your final lesson." _

There was a fondness in Noah's mind, the fire that slowly consumed him was not painful. He could not feel it at all as he had no true body. It wasn't unpleasant. It was what he had hoped for, Aegis' determination in stopping him from his alleged plan to take over the world.

"My turn now, Aegis." Noah flipped the card off of his deck and added it to his hand swiftly, even though the hand he used to perform the action was nothing more than a disembodied limb.

"_This reminds me of when we used to play Cops and Robbers. I was always the robber, and Aegis was always the cop. Haha…I could never get away from him, Aegis was too good at catching me with that sense of justice he had."_

"I'll play two spell cards, first Spring of Rebirth and then Soul Absorption." Behind Orpheus a large stone fountain appeared from the shadows. The gentle green glow that emitted from the waters became twisted in the darkness.

"Now I'll flip over my facedown card, Storm of Souls!" From above black storm clouds could be outlined against the darkness. Streaks of red lightning flying back and forth in the demonic heavens.

"By removing spirit monsters from my graveyard out of play I can destroy that many cards on your field! So I'll remove all three of my spirits to destroy your monsters, and gain 1500 life points!" Aegis scowled as the storm entered its fiercest period, a black wind howling and blasting down atop of him. Massive earth-splitting bolts of lightning descended from the black sky, a bolt striking each of his monsters, blasting them away in mighty explosions.

(Noah: 6000 Aegis: 5100)

Aegis coughed from inhaling so much of the dust, but as the smoke thinned Noah found that Aegis' field had not become barren. Aegis' field had been reduced to the single plasma dragon, and one large silver sphere behind it. Though weakened, it was not empty like Noah originally thought it would be.

"Surprised? Let me explain." Aegis grinned weakly, still trying to recover from breathing in some strange metaphysical scrap of the shadows. "You did destroy my Chimera Module, but my Dragon Module remains as Automated Soul was destroyed in its place. However, my Valkyrie Module has a unique ability that turns it back into its original module form when it's destroyed as a monster card."

Noah grunted and moved a hand down to his pedestal, turning his Orpheus card sideways. "Orpheus will go into defence mode. (3100/1600)" Aegis recoiled as he noticed Orpheus gaining strength.

"What's going on?!" Aegis swung his right arm out fiercely, cleaving through some trace of the shadows as he did so.

"Storm of Souls also gives 400 attack points to one monster on my field for every card I removed, so Orpheus will gain 1200 attack points!" Noah noticed his voice contained more enthusiasm than he intended. It wasn't befitting for his situation, dueling for his livelihood did not sound so energetic!

"Now I'll activate Celestial Summoning! This card allows me to summon as many spirits that have been removed from the game to my side of the field!" Aegis flinched heavily as he recalled the army that Noah had previous used against him. Still, he had no way to stop it as he watched his Yamata Dragon (2600/3100) descend, followed by the valkyrie, Heroic Spirit Freya (2300/0). Bringing up the rear was the tiny almost comical Poltergeist, still with its tongue sticking out at Aegis (300/0).

The two massive beaters settled in defence mode, the knight guarding herself while the dragon curled up all eight of its heads. Aegis understood why Noah would do such a thing, as Poltergeist's effect activated, sending both spirits and the silver automation Orpheus back into attacking form.

"I still have my Dragon Module (1800/1200), and because of your Poltergeist I'll switch it into defence mode." Aegis could feel sweat roll down his face, the panic wasn't doing much for his composure when his throbbing head was taken into consideration. _"I need…To hold out somehow. I shouldn't have burned all my cards when Noah had a full hand. It doesn't matter now. I have to keep going somehow!"_

"I'll destroy your last line of defence with my valkyrie! Attack with Divine Wrath!" Noah shot his disembodied hand forward, pointing straight at Aegis' defending dragon. The attack struck the machine in its neck, the mechanization freezing up for an instant. Noah smirked weakly, as he watched the confrontation.

"_I…Don't really want to do this…But maybe I was wrong about you after all…There are things that are happening in our world that have to be stopped, and one of us needs to be able to stop it! I was hoping you would be able to but…"_

"Wait a minute…Why is your dragon still alive?" Noah's train of thought derailed when he noticed silence. There was no sound of a monster being destroyed, and to his surprise he found Aegis' dragon still operational.

"Once during either turn, if my Dragon Module would be destroyed during the battle phase, I can prevent its destruction once. Sorry, but it'll take another hit for you to destroy it." Aegis smiled wearily, finding that his features were almost mimicking what he saw Iris do so many times. "I'm afraid this duel won't end this turn. Some come at me with all you got!"

Noah's mouth hung open for a second, the disbelief was astounding. He had never imagined Aegis to hang on so hard, but it made him feel better knowing Aegis was still as strong as he remembered. "Yamata Dragon will attack and destroy your module then!" The eight headed dragon opened each of its mouths, streams of fire spewing forth and engulfing Aegis' dragon. The machine melting away under the intense heat, but its body shielded its master from the harsh fate, something that Aegis was grateful for.

"Orpheus! Attack Aegis directly with Discord! (3100/1600)" Aegis had enough time to prepare himself for what was coming next, spreading his stance out to try and keep his balance. The silver man moved a hand to its massive instrument, and very carefully it slashed the strings to fire off a shrieking noise. A jolt of lightning opened up from the black heavens and struck Aegis, the electricity firing through his soul and forcing his entire body to convulse agonizingly.

(Noah: 6000 Aegis: 2000)

Aegis still remained standing after the attack had past. His legs were trembling severely, but he was too stubborn to fall down to his knees in front of Noah yet again. It would be too degrading. Still, it didn't change the fact that he was starting to become afraid.

The pain was terrifyingly real. Despite all appearances, Aegis was in tremendous agony. The blast of lightning had caused the pain in his eye to redouble, his vision shaking like a fuzzy television set. Not only that his mind was no longer able to hold together any thoughts, the gray matter in his brain simply fixated on the worsening condition of his body.

"As you recover, I'll send back my three spirits to gain 1500 life points, and set a card to end my turn." Noah shut his eyes as he spoke. The shadows had told him what he didn't want to know. The pain that Aegis felt tugged away at his ether heart. Noah paused as he moved his hand to reclaim his cards.

"_Maybe…I should just call this all off. I can just surrender and that would still send Aegis back safely…__There was never a formal challenge so this isn't a Shadow Game…But…"_

"Do…You remember as kids…" Aegis began to force syllables out of his strained throat. His voice barely more than a low hiss. "We…used to play Cops…and Robbers?" Noah couldn't help but look surprised as Aegis seemed to just pick up on a train of thought he had just had.

"You used to…" Aegis paused to catch his breath, his right hand clutching at his chest. "You used to be the robber and come up with crazy plans…" Aegis breathed out his last sentence, finding it a bit easier to speak as time went on. "I asked you why, and you always said-"

"It makes for a better hero." Noah finished the line, amused that Aegis remembered; the white man exasperated from trying to play his part for so long.

"I didn't realize it at first…Then I remembered something. You're not that good of an actor, I could see through your act even without this eye." Aegis' right eye died down, the light coming from it fading away as his soul began to calm down. The act of settling his rage was therapeutic in itself, his injuries no longer aching so much.

"Still, I don't know why you're doing this exactly…But I think I understand, what you were trying to do." Aegis' smile was sincere, Noah unable to look at it due to his shame.

"You know, Aegis. As kids I had always wanted to be a hero." Noah looked up to the black heaven above, eyes narrowing as he imagined the bright sun of their world. "I always acted so tough, but…In the end you were the one who could stand his ground and take on anything. The world dumped itself on you and you only asked for more."

"It drove me nuts really. I kept trying to catch up to you, but never could. I spent all those years with those damned experiments trying to become powerful, I thought it'd make me into a hero like you. But it was only after I was banished here that I realized I couldn't live up to you, so I wanted to make sure you could become the hero I wanted to be." Noah paused thoughtfully, recalling some of his own thoughts. Then he decided to pick out the most vital piece of information and then turned his head back down to the earth.

"This is the most important thing I've learned, Aegis. You need to learn that a hero is a justified sinner. To protect those you love, you will need to hurt and kill. Aegis…I will be your first obstacle. Kill me." Aegis looked long and hard into Noah's determined face, and then started to laugh. "It…It's true! I don't trust myself with power…If I get out of here I might do something…"

"Noah! You're…You should stick to your day job! Acting isn't your thing!" Aegis' frame shook with each laugh, though it caused relapses of jolts of pain, it wouldn't stop him from laughing. Noah's façade fell apart, his face slouching to one side as he frowned.

"You get the point, don't you?" Noah asked rather quietly, rather embarrassed at how Aegis reacted to his serious moment.

"Yeah, I do. At first I think I let the past blind me, I thought there was something bigger to this, but in the end that wasn't the case." Aegis groaned wearily and then lowered himself to the invisible floor, sitting himself down with both legs crossed. "Just an old friend visiting."

"You were still languishing after all those years. I couldn't let my best friend stay like that." Noah smiled slightly, he felt relieved at being able to speak freely.

"Come on then, it's your turn, Aegis."

"Alright. Let's play, Noah."

(Noah: 7500 Aegis: 2000)


	11. Turn 11: There and Back Again Part 3

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 11: ****There and Back Again: Cops and Robbers**

(Noah: 7500 Aegis: 2000)

"Tell me, Aegis!" Noah laughed lightly. The first time he had done so in over five years. He pointed his disembodied right hand forward at Aegis, who had seated himself rather comfortably on the metaphysical floor.

"I have over three times your life points. My best monster, Orpheus is on the field (3100/1600) and he's been powered up! I have a hand full of powerful spirit monsters, while you've used all your cards. You just barely survived my turn, what on earth are you going to do now?" Noah posed his question much the same way a game-show host would ask an unwitting contestant a slew of rhetorical questions.

Aegis tilted his head thoughtfully, resting it against his left hand as he thought. Then he snapped his fingers, stood up, dusted himself off and folded his arms together.

"I think I'll go win." Aegis sneered at Noah's distasteful raspberry which he blew in response. Aegis moved his right arm nice and close to his left hand and carefully peeled a card off the top of his deck. One look, and it was set in defence mode instantly. "One monster facedown. Come and get me!"

"Come on, Aegis! You're barely holding on! Call it a day and let me put you to sleep!" Noah patted his metal pedestal a few times, metal clanging echoing through the void.

"Don't think I'll let some occult freak beat me at my game!" Aegis fired back, Noah's pride hurt by being called a 'freak'. Aegis smiled, amused that it was so easy to cut down the 'Master of the Shadows', as he had introduced himself.

"Are you that sensitive now? Ahaha, fine, I'll take it back." Aegis mused over the conversation he was having. Somehow, despite being somewhere between life and death, it really felt like he had visited a simpler day. Amongst the darkness, after all of the dramatic speeches and agonizing attacks, the situation boiled down to a friendly reunion between old friends.

"Aegis, I got a question, if you don't mind me asking." Noah was a bit nervous as he pushed forward his question, flipping his turn's card off the top of his deck as he did so.

"Why did you start dueling anyway? I remember when you first started you practiced so hard that you even told me you didn't like it! So it never really made sense to me." Aegis shut his eyes and thought carefully, humming to himself all the time.

"If…I tell you the reason, I hope you don't get offended." Aegis' reply was strange to Noah, but it also made him more eager to hear the answer. Though it was supposed to be a cautionary statement, Aegis was well aware it would be pointless, and simply proceeded with his explanation.

"You remember when you used to try to do your experiments, I would always try to stop you, right?" Aegis started slow, feeling the water gingerly. Noah nodded his head slowly, inquisitive look all over his face at the mention of such a delicate topic.

"Well, after each one we had to run from the law for awhile. Thankfully no one knew it was us. But that got me thinking…" Aegis stopped at a juicy part, Noah's arms motioned for him to continue. He sighed and decided to throw away all subtly and would tell the tale as it was.

"If I could become famous somehow, I could plaster my name and my face everywhere. By extension I could then plaster your name and face everywhere the public eye reached. If I did that then it would become much harder for you to even start an experiment since you had enough sense to know what would happen if you got caught." Aegis' origins surprised Noah. The tale was a bit sad, yet it seemed to fit the man it came from.

"So you worked yourself to the bone to shoot for pro status, hoping that when you made it, I'd give up my experiments so you could save countless lives." Noah filled in the gaps for himself, a black rain cloud of guilt showering down on him.

"That was the plan. But it wasn't that easy. I did throw our names and faces everywhere, and it still didn't stop you. Well, ok, that goes without saying as here we are." Aegis lowered his head feverishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his metallic hand.

"I wish I wised up then. But it sounds exactly like something you'd do. Throwing away your childhood to try and help someone else…I'm sorry." Noah also looked away at the tale's end. Aegis shook his head and looked straight at his friend.

"Don't be. I didn't start dueling because I wanted too, but…After awhile, I didn't think I was forcing myself since I really liked playing the game. I loved that competitive spirit, and you know, if it kept some people safe at the same time, so much the better." Aegis thought back to all the hours he had spent growing up amassing his collection, practicing with his deck until his cards began to fade and tear. All for that one win, inching towards the top.

"Sounds exactly like you. Well, I'm glad you didn't hate it." Noah smiled weakly back at Aegis. The moment was over however, and Noah decided to resume play.

"You know, as kids I never could beat you! But I think I'll change that today!" Noah's grin widened, the same confident look he used to wear on his face all the time. But suddenly it dimmed. "…If I win, you'll be alright. There wasn't any challenge so this isn't a Shadow Game. When we're done I'll just send you back."

Aegis nodded, he was wondering at what would happen when the last card was played. Then a thought crossed his mind. "Wait, what happens to you if I win?"

"Nothing big. I'll just get thrown back like before. But since I've become so enmeshed with the Shadow Realm, I'll just pull myself back together after awhile." Noah's reasoning seemed to reassure Aegis. There was truly nothing at stake. It was the equivalent as dueling each other on a table top. Both duelists at ease, even Aegis didn't worry about the pain he would experience with each blow to his life points. It was superficial in the end, only the mind would remember it, the body wouldn't.

"With all that settled, I'll start my turn with summoning Fushi No Tori! (1200/0)" By Orpheus' right side a crimson flame ignited in the air, taking on the form of a phoenix. With the flick of his wrist, Noah tossed another monster into play, the outline of a crimson knight entering view before he even announced the move.

"With one spirit present I summon Heroic Spirit Freya in attack mode! (2300/0)" Noah grinned widely. "You fought hard, but I'll put another loss on your record! Fushi No Tori, attack Aegis' set monster!" The phoenix breathed a breath of flames to the rectangular square defending Aegis' field. The fire uncovering a large metallic pot, a single glass eye situated inside of its opening, demonic rows of teeth grinning madly at Noah before the monster burst apart.

"W-what is that thing?" Noah found the parting grin rather unnerving, it didn't matter how much he had seen in the shadows, that smile was spine-chilling.

"It's a monster named Cyber Jar. If it's flipped over then all monsters on the field are destroyed. Sorry, but you walked straight into my trap!" Aegis' voice was taunting, a sort of singsong tone that could be used by a much younger Aegis to mock a five-year old.

Noah braced himself as he could feel the connections with his three creatures vanishing, each of the visages being sucked into oblivion. However a thin sneer crossed Noah's face as he watched the silver body of Orpheus fade away.

"After all the monsters are destroyed, we both draw five cards, showing them to the opponent. Any level four or lower monster is then summoned to the field, so you first, Noah!" Noah obliged, nodding his head briefly. He drew five cards, flipping them over and showing them to Aegis. He took note that Noah had drawn only high level spirit monsters; none of them would be useable to Noah.

Aegis felt reassured to face an empty field, at least empty of monsters. His second counterattack would begin with yet another new hand. He drew his cards, showing them to Noah as well. He took note that he had two useable monsters, his silver right eye resting on one of them for a moment.

"Alright, I drew into two monsters, the first one is my Machine Angel, which I summon in attack mode! (1800/1800)" Monsters rallying for Aegis' cause were surprisingly few and far between. However each one that he summoned was very impressive. His latest automation was similar to a cyborg, its body mostly a mechanical gold skeleton made of gold and silver that was operated by large brass gears like a clock. The head however was human, at least it was the face of a rather pleasant looking woman, yet it was this juxtaposition that made for a rather startling aura. For its namesake, the machine had two large metal wings fixed to its back.

"That's…Quite…Something…Man, I'm not that freaky when I look at some of the cards you play, Aegis!" Noah simply couldn't help himself, he had to get a shot in on Aegis for once. Aegis appearing rather disgruntled at the observation and mumbled under his breath.

"The second monster I drew." Aegis did his best to shrug off the jesting, still it was hard for him to ignore the jab; he had to get Noah back for it later. "Is a card you should remember, Noah. It's the one I beat you with last time, The Unwavering Maiden! (1000/0)" Noah cringed as he recalled the past for a distasteful moment.

Beside the mechanical angel, the figure of a kneeling woman materialized. The woman wore a large dress formed of dozens of large diamond shaped clothes of a light blue material with gold trimmings to each part. The woman's face was covered up by long locks of golden hair, but the figure and posture instilled a very peaceful demeanor.

"I remember that one…It's the card you said Kiris passed on to you. I didn't realize how much she meant to you to be honest. But to see that card reappear now…" Aegis nodded his head slowly. It was still a very delicate subject; the time he had spent overseas was traumatic. After all was said and done that his face would be forever scarred, his eye infused with a fate he never dreamed of. And his first love would be cut tragically short.

After that, the marks would be left on his body and soul. The way he saw the world would be different, how he behaved would change. It was such a far reaching change that even the deck he used was changed.

Originally Aegis never had a set deck-type, rather he would switch very rapidly. After he returned he found his soul settling on a rather strange theme: machines. Every card Aegis used began to inch towards an automated perfection. It seemed to still be the case after so many years.

"Well, I can see you're walking down memory lane, Aegis." Noah interrupted Aegis' ruminating, for once Aegis became a bit annoyed with having his train of thought derailed. It didn't seem so bad to think of the past while standing in the same position he was in the past actually.

"But, if I don't, this game will take forever! Since you destroyed Orpheus, I'll activate the trap card, Mourning Nightingales!" A fire ignited in Noah's soul. He had waited years to finally get a chance to use the trap. The shadows resonated to their master's enthusiasm and trembled with anticipation. Aegis gulping slightly as he realized that all was not well suddenly.

"You remember what my favorite myth was, right?" Noah proposed a rhetorical question to his best friend, he knew the answer instantly.

"Orpheus. You loved the story of Orpheus." Aegis gave the answer anyway, just to make sure Noah was still aware that Aegis' dedication was not discarded.

"That's right! Orpheus was a masterful musician, his instrument the lyre. With his melodies he could lull any beast, and even breathe life into stone. Orpheus was even one of the pioneers of civilization, teaching us the art of writing and even medicine! Not only that he was a seer!" Noah's face always lit up when he fired off into a rant on his favorite storybook character.

"However, Orpheus had a bit of a darker streak. He was known for travelling into Hades and back. The trip had changed him and he forsaken the gods. The name Orpheus is also believed to come from the Greek word 'orphe' which means darkness. Of course it also is similar to 'orhpanos' which means orphan and-" Noah paused as he realized he had gone off on a completely different topic. He cleared his throat with his floating right hand and smiled feebly at Aegis' ever patient stance.

"Well, in the end Orpheus was torn apart, his head and lyre sent floating down a river. The rest of Orpheus was left to the winds. However…" Suddenly Aegis became acutely aware of a chill firing down his spine.

"I found his head. And then I placed it onto a new body, that silver mechanical form you know as Orpheus. But that's not _really_ Orpheus." Suddenly the sound of many birds singing besieged Aegis' senses, his hands covering up his ears at the loud whistling and chirping.

"I've decided it's time to put Orpheus back together, one decayed limb at a time. So first, by the effect of Mourning Nightingales, I summon The Head of Orpheus in attack mode! (0/0)" The silver body-or the carrier of Orpheus' head, reappeared before Aegis. The body was rusting away rapidly, crumbling to pieces. Yet the black-skinned white-haired head did not change, its eyes staring forward blankly. The metal body finally turned to dust, only the head remained, floating in the air, unmoving, not living.

"Since I had to send my entire hand to the graveyard just to resurrect the Head of Orpheus, I'll end my turn." Noah folded his arms together, closing his eyes as he did so. In such a position he could tune into the haunting singing that came from the severed head after he ended the turn. Aegis' skin crawled at the melody, first it was the shrill sound of the nightingales, now it was the haunting voice of Orpheus.

"What's going on?!" Aegis found his question was laced with fear; he never took to the supernatural very well.

"At the end of every turn, Orpheus' head will seek out one more of his limbs. So I'll summon Remnant of Orpheus – Dismembered Body in defence mode! (0/0)" Aegis looked away as a large black mass simply floated out of the ground, causing ripples in the darkness. The mass was barely recognizable as a torso, it was rotting heavily, and was mostly just a dark lump that drifted by Orpheus' head.

"The Head of Orpheus gains 700 attack points for each Remnant of Orpheus on the field (700/0). As well, each remnant gains 200 attack points for each remnant or the head being on the field! (400/0)" Aegis fidgeted as he noticed the undead masses gaining strength. Albeit, it wasn't very much strength, it was the fact that such grotesque things were slowly becoming more powerful.

_"Noah has no cards left in his hand, and he can't defend himself during my turn. But there's got to be something to these remains, Noah knows my two monsters can trample his. So what am I missing?" _Aegis groaned as he knew that he was to learn what Noah's plan would be the hard way.

"This will go without saying, Machine Angel (1800/1800) attack The Head of Orpheus! (700/0)" Aegis threw his hand forward, ploughing recklessly into whatever was ready to pounce on him. Aegis' winged clockwork cyborg took to the air, flapping its metal wings and charging for the black floating head on Noah's domain. The automation raised an arm, and then struck the head with a mighty punch, the sheer force creating a shockwave that nearly toppled Noah.

(Noah: 6400 Aegis: 2000)

"Unfortunately for you, my soul's ultimate manifestation will not yield that easily! The Head of Orpheus cannot be destroyed in battle!" Noah's dramatic moment did not have the effect he was looking for, Aegis shrugging his shoulders casually.

"The pieces of my soul don't come without their own tricks. If Machine Angel damages you, I can summon a second Machine Angel from my deck, so now you can deal with another one of my machines!" Aegis' counter was simple and elegant, diffusing Noah's moment rather easily. He watched feebly as a second clockwork pretty-faced angel descended onto Aegis' field.

"However, I can't attack with the monster I summon." Aegis shrugged off the condition just as easily as he shrugged off Noah's comeback. "If your head can't be destroyed, I'll simply attack the limbs! The Unwavering Maiden (1000/0) will destroy your Dismembered Body! (400/0)" The kneeling maiden lifted her head up delicately, her robes parting to let her pale hand through.

With the flick of her wrist a gigantic steel blade lodged itself in the center of the Head of Orpheus, the black mass recoiling under such a tremendous impact.

(Noah: 5700 Aegis: 2000)

"Why did your head get attacked?!" Aegis fell into a false sense of security from so little happening to stop him. The simple redirection was enough to cause a rather substantial reaction however.

"The Head of Orpheus can redirect an attack against one of its limbs to the head. You didn't think that the yearning soul of Orpheus' would sit back and watch you destroy one of his body parts, did you?" Noah regained center stage of the duel, Aegis grimacing as he watched the severed body parts bopping up and down in the air.

"I'll set one card." Aegis paused after he placed a card into his duel-disk. A smirk crossed his face, his eyes locking with Noah's for a brief instant. "Want to see something cool?" Noah's ever-present smile widened, his eyes lighting up.

"If I remove two Machine Angels from the field I can combine their machine souls to create Virtue! (2300/2300)" Noah whistled as the two clockwork angels broke down, two wisps floating out of their bodies. The wisps then joined together, grew and then solidified into a single entity.

The monster named Virtue was also an angelic creature, two large feathered angel wings affixed to its back. The body was covered by a thorough suit of gold armor which glowed brightly in the darkness of the Shadow Realm. It was hard to tell what the gender of the monster was as it had an androgynous figure, the head covered by a large pointed helmet with two slits cut into it to let the angel see.

(Noah: 6700 Aegis: 2000)

"Always full of tricks, aren't you, Aegis? Well you can't have forgotten about my Soul Absorption, since you removed two cards from play I gain a thousand life points." Noah mused to himself, his chin resting in his left hand laxly. "So what does this thing do?" Aegis was hoping for those words, an aura of malevolence radiating from his smile.

"Any monster Virtue battles with has its effect negated, during the battle and after it as well. Meaning…" Aegis did not finish his sentence, Noah's mind filled in the gaps and his panic was spreading out into the shadows, the walls trembling.

"I end my turn." The parting words left Noah straining his mind for a good idea. Regardless he did his best to get back into the game, and Aegis' pace.

"When your turn ends another piece of Orpheus is summoned to the field! Come forth, Remnant of Orpheus – Bloody Left Hand!" On the left side of the head, a small black, rotting hand clawed its way out of the void. At its appearance, the other two remains pulsated with the force of a heartbeat.

"So now The Head of Orpheus' power increases again (1400/0). The same is true for both of my remnants! (600/0)" Aegis mouthed Noah's gloating, mocking him as he did so. Noah sighed and shook his head.

"Isn't that what you did whenever you were losing to me, Aegis?" Noah had waited patiently for his opening, and jabbed Aegis hard for the last insult. Aegis winced, feeling the metaphysical force of the jesting.

Pleased with himself, Noah drew a card from his deck and immediately set it onto the field facedown without so much as a glance. Aegis was about to point out the phenomena when Noah intervened yet again.

"Aegis! This deck is my soul! I know exactly what it will give me each turn. It is just an extension of myself, as your deck is now." Noah paused, looking rather awkward for some reason. He then proceeded to scratch the back of his head, messing up the silver locks of hair slightly.

"You know, this is the first time I've seen you in five years, and I haven't even asked how you've been!" Aegis' nerves unwound themselves, for a moment he was afraid something disastrous would occur. Instead his body warmed up, it had been so long since he had the pleasure of speaking so freely, so happily.

"Well, I've become a writer. I got published in a few anthologies; my last short story did pretty well actually." Aegis recalled the brief cash-flow he experienced at that publication, it was a very good few months.

"Oh yeah? I wish I could read some of your stuff!" Noah held the conversation up as he then motioned for the floating head of Orpheus to target Aegis' vulnerable maiden. "But for now, I'll have The Head of Orpheus (1400/0) attack your Unwavering Maiden! (1000/0)"

Orpheus' mouth opened up, slowly at first, then ripping open so wide it seemed like it would tear itself apart. A ghostly song came out of the mouth, though it was impossible for such a thing to occur. The music was of course, brilliant and fit for a maestro, waves of dark energy surging through the air at the crouching maiden.

"You know, I figure you can eventually just get a full body on your own, Noah. I bet you could just come back on your own sooner or later." Aegis casually flipped over his set trap card, the projection of the red background lifting off the ground to face Noah.

"You know…I told you already, least I know I thought it. But I'm not like you, Aegis." Noah looked away, a bitterness in his heart. "The power I have…I know I can go back to the real world at any time. But with the power I have, it'll corrupt me. I can't control myself like you." Noah raised his head, smiling with his heavy heart at his best friend.

"So I think I'll stay here until I finally know I can control the power, and not the other way around. But don't worry, Aegis." In Noah's mind he saw a day in the future. The day that he would finally walk upon the bountiful earth underneath a clear sapphire blue sky, the radiant sun above and warming his skin. On that day he would walk side by side with Aegis, it would be the day he finally would catch up to him and his ever steady back.

"I will be back one day. Until then just know I'm always looking out for you in here. Now, what's your trap card do, Aegis?" Noah looked at his friend peacefully, but was greatly disturbed to find that Aegis had buried his head in the sleeve of his right arm.

"A-Aegis?! Are you ok?!" Noah was about to leap over his pedestal, but Aegis waved his left hand at Noah to ease him.

"Yeah…You know, these days I'm like a baby, always crying…But…This time I'm really happy." Aegis removed his arm, a few streaks of liquid still under his right eye. He smiled back as best he could, face as red as a beet; how embarrassing it was to cry in front of another guy.

"My trap card…Right. This is the trap card called Machine Soul Resonance! By sacrificing my Unwavering Maiden, I can summon a new monster from my deck." Aegis gave his face one more fierce wipe from his sleeve before he pulled his deck out to thumb through it. Though the monster he was looking for was placed at the very top of the deck. The happiness in his heart faded slightly, but it was alright, the memories that chipped away his happiness also contained hope.

"Machine Soul Resonance allows me to summon the one-of-a-kind machine soul monster, XI-5 – Kiris! (0/0)" Directly in front of Aegis a beacon of light opened up, penetrating the shadows and temporarily blinding both duelists as neither were used to the sudden light.

Standing at just a few inches taller than Aegis, the soul took form. It was a thinly built woman who only wore a tattered blue cloth loosely around her body, almost like a large wrapping. However Noah noticed that her right leg and right arm which peeked out from the cloth were not human, but intricate machinery. The parts were a metal replica of the human body, a black steel bar that made up the skeleton, wires and small motors for each joint and muscle. The hand was a masterpiece of tiny gyros and metal, the hand more articulate than a real human hand.

The left side of the woman was not like the right. Instead it was covered in skin and flesh, or perhaps it was just a covering for the machine workings. The face was another testament to the engineer, Kiris' face was perfectly serene, calm and with a faint smile that warmed the heart. She had rather shortly cut black hair that gave her a slightly tomboyish appearance, but it was still not able to overcome her artificial feminine charm. Yet the right side of her face, more specifically the portion around her eye was uncovered. The skin covering was missing and revealed the inner mechanics of the face beneath, metal parts and a skeletal design with a single azure blue lens that was the same color as her 'normal' left eye.

Noah whistled to himself, impressed with the display. "You know how to pick them, Aegis! She's a real looker!" He laughed light-heartedly, Aegis blushing somewhat as he positioned the card in his duel-disk. "I'm placing Kiris in defence mode." Aegis murmured under his breath, the woman crouching down and putting her arms over her chest.

"It's just how I remember her. But you know, I always thought she was beautiful, steel or not." Aegis felt some lovesickness from six years ago. Noah nodded his head approvingly. "You always find the good in people, Aegis. So what mind-blowing power does she have?"

"She cannot be destroyed in battle." Aegis spoke very blandly, like a professor would to his class. Noah paused, he waited, but Aegis did not continue.

"That's…It?" Noah did his best not to sound rude, as the maiden in front of Aegis was his first love, but it was a bit anticlimactic.

"For now. You can replay the attack and see just what she can do." Aegis' confidence was overwhelming. Noah couldn't resist.

"With my Bloody Left Hand on the field, whenever The Head of Orpheus destroys a monster, you take damage equal to a hundred times the destroyed monster's level and then I gain that amount…Well, it's not useful here, she can't be destroyed in battle." Noah's moment was cut short as he remembered the ability of Kiris. Still he would oblige Aegis and pointed at her, Orpheus' head opening up to sing once more.

Kiris stood up at the sound of the song, waves of energy ripping apart the fabric of the dimension. She took a step forward and then raised her machine right arm, the hand open and about to receive the attack. To Noah's surprise, her mouth suddenly opened up, a fierce voice coming out of it as well. "I will take it with this hand!"

The sound waves struck the metal, and ricocheted off of it, bursts of energy flying dangerously in all directions. Noah braced and covered himself up from the dangerous shrapnel, but thankfully neither of the two was injured.

"A Duel Monster that can talk? My, my, you gave her a lot of your soul, she's almost alive!" Aegis nodded his head, however Noah was not pleased by it.

"Aegis, you can't rely on someone else like you did before. You have to stand with your own strength, Aegis-" Noah ceased prematurely when Aegis shook his head.

"I gave a lot of myself to Kiris. However, if you think that this card will be my new crutch than you're wrong!" Aegis smiled defiantly, his soul ignited and was burning under its own fuel.

"Don't worry! When the time is right, I will show you the power I have all on my own! I've realized that all this time I didn't need to rely on someone else. I just needed to have some confidence. The strength to do anything was always with me!" Noah laughed at the speech, Aegis flinching from the reaction, feeling rather insulted. "Hey, I liked my speech…"

"Now you know how I feel! I'll end my turn by summoning Remnant of Orpheus – Severed Legs! (0/0)" Two floating leathery black legs floated up into the air, positioning themselves slightly under the large torso mass. Aegis clicked his tongue and wagged his finger at Noah.

"Hold on! I have a few more tricks before you finish your turn!" Aegis grinned widely, the silver orb that had been taking up his backrow for so long began to react. "By paying 1000 life points I can bring back my Valkyrie Module at half of its attack strength until my Standby Phase, so here she comes! (1500/1600)"

The orb broke apart into metal fragments, gold plasma connecting together wings and a suit of armor. The monster situating itself on the other side of Virtue, arms folded together and assuming a defensive stance.

(Noah: 6700 Aegis: 1000)

"You sure you should be tossing your life points around when you have so few?" Noah mused at the reckless move. Aegis laughed harshly, ignoring the comment entirely.

"Whenever Kiris is involved in a battle, afterwards I can equip a union monster from my deck to her. So I'm giving her Electric Tears! (200/0)" Over Kiris' metal face portion, a small blue jolt of electricity began to spark from the lens. However the electricity did not dissipate and almost laid down along the steel, outlining the trail a real liquid tear would run.

"You better stop holding out on me, Aegis!" Aegis did not fall for the provoking, but he was getting nervous. The new deck was working for him so far, but any duelist would be hard pressed when the opponent could horde almost 6000 more life points over their head. At the same time, Noah's fragments of Orpheus were proving to be incredibly dangerous cards.

He already amassed four monsters on the field, giving The Head of Orpheus 2100 attack points, while each Remnant of Orpheus was given 800 attack points. Aegis' strongest monster, Virtue had 2300 attack points, and an ability that could destroy Orpheus. Yet, Noah did not seem overly concerned for some reason.

_"When I end my turn the last piece of Orpheus will be summoned. Not only will The Head of Orpheus have 2800 attack points, but I know that there's something more that will happen when all those body parts are gathered." _Aegis didn't like the situation, but he lost his control over the duel. The only viable option left would be to fortify his position so he could try to take control again.

"_I'm positive I won't be able to destroy his head this turn, so I should focus on damaging his life points."_

"I'll equip Virtue with Cestus of Dagla, increasing its attack points by 500! (2800/2300) Now any damage that Virtue causes is also added to my life points!" Two golden metal blades appeared in the iron-clad hands of Virtue, the angel preparing itself for battle. Aegis' Valkyrie Module suddenly stood up as well, the plasma igniting and blazing embers of gold energy.

"Since I brought my Valkyrie Module back during your end phase, I just had to wait until my turn for her attack points to return (3000/1600)" Noah hummed to himself, the game was not even close to being over.

"Virtue will attack The Head of Orpheus! And by its effect, your monster's effects are negated, stripping away its invulnerability and every single attack point! (0/0) Go, Seeking Light!" Noah fell back under the charging angel. It raised both of its new found weapons, the defenceless head losing its power and barely holding itself up in the air.

"It won't be that easy, Aegis!" Despite Noah's defiance, the angel still cleaved through the blackened head. However the attack did not split it in two, instead the largest floating black mass, which was the torso glowed a magnificent red.

(Noah: 3900 Aegis: 3800)

"The Head of Orpheus should be destroyed! I negated its effect!" Noah sneered and waved his hand back and forth arrogantly. "I activated the special ability of my Dismembered Body. If The Head of Orpheus or any remnant would be destroyed, I can prevent the destruction!" Aegis was not surprised by the still drifting disembodied head. It only occurred to him at that moment he had not seen the ability of the decapitated body.

"I didn't use the ability last time in case of something like this. If you had attacked my body, no matter what I did I would have lost a vital piece of Orpheus. So sorry, Aegis!" Aegis frowned at the cockiness of his opponent. Even though a large chunk of Noah's torso was being consumed by blue flames, it was nothing to him as he still had all of his army intact.

"Don't get too carried away. Our life points have equalled out. But since I'm still lower than you, my Valkyrie Module has 3000 attack points which I'll use to cleave apart that head (2100/0)! Attack with Celestial Cleaver!" Noah grimaced as the energy based valkyrie slashed beautifully through The Head of Orpheus, the vast majority to his left arm being burned away in flames.

(Noah: 3000 Aegis: 3800)

The mechanical knight returned to her original position, though the majestic flames coming off of the body faded away (2000/1600). Aegis glanced over the cards in his hand and placed one facedown onto the field. With shaky nerves, Aegis forced the hardest words he had to say out of his throat. "I end my turn."

Noah's grin got wider. "Now the last piece of Orpheus is uncovered! I summon Remnant of Orpheus – Mutilated Right Arm! (0/0)" The excitement pulsated through the darkness, every shadow alive and with bated breath to witness the final summoning.

"The Head of Orpheus is now at full power! (2800/0) Each Remnant has been reunited with the soul of Orpheus, every remnant gaining a total of one thousand attack points! (1000/0)" Noah wasted no time to command the floating head, pointing both of his limbless hands at Virtue. "Orpheus, attack! Call From Beyond!" The ghastly mouth opened, the air vibrating in preparation of the next song.

"With my Mutilated Right Arm on the field, if The Head of Orpheus attacks, then before the damage is calculated I can destroy a spell or trap card on the field! So I'll blow away your Cestus of Dagla!" The green equip spell was eradicated from the field, the golden blades in either hand of Virtue shattering as well (2300/2300).

"I won't let you!" Much to Noah's surprise, Kiris rang out right as Orpheus' song began. The air rippling and distorting under a harsh cacophony. The maiden charged in between the two combatants, raised her right arm and blocked the attack just as before.

"What?! What happened?!" Noah looked to Aegis for the answer, though he regretted it as Aegis was simply grinning madly back.

"Do you remember how I equipped Kiris with Electric Tears?" Noah thought back to last turn when he carelessly attacked the android. In retrospect he dearly wished he didn't play into Aegis' hand so easily.

"Once a turn I can redirect an attack to the monster equipped with Electric Tears, so Kiris took the attack instead! And since you attacked Kiris, I can equip her with another union monster, so I'll give her Mechanized Heart! (100/100)" There was no visible addition, instead a loud ticking like a clock came from the maiden, the sound mimicking the rhythm of a heartbeat.

"Let me guess, another one of Kiris' abilities is one that lets her equip more than one union monster, isn't it?" Aegis smiled cunningly and nodded.

"Well don't think you're the only one with tricks! The Head of Orpheus! (2800/0) Attack Virtue (2300/2300) with Call From Beyond!" Aegis flinched, Noah shouldn't be able to declare another attack with the same monster!

"With Severed Legs on the field, The Head of Orpheus can attack twice in the same turn!" Noah relished the feeling of finally getting back his foothold of the duel; it was getting a bit irksome to have Aegis constantly one-upping him. "Also with Mutilated Right Arm, I'll destroy that new union monster you summoned!"

The song split the air apart, the metal armor of Virtue clanging against itself violently. As the floating head continued singing, the angel quaked and finally cried out before shattering into colored fragments. The backlash of the singing finally made its way through Aegis' defences and struck his body, rattling every fibre of his soul.

Aegis howled as it felt like his spirit was having punches hurled at it, but it was mostly from not expecting such a sudden impact than was it from pain.

(Noah: 3000 Aegis: 3300)

"Finally, with the ability of Bloody Left Hand, you take 100 points of damage times by the level of the destroyed monster, and then I gain that same amount!" Aegis found himself mocking Noah yet again. Somehow Aegis felt like he was nearing the end of his rope.

(Noah: 3600 Aegis: 2700)

"Let's see what you got, Aegis!" Noah put his hand out and carefully unfurled each of his fingers lightly, he had just laid down the gauntlet. Aegis shut his eyes momentarily, reopening them only to have his silver eye lit up again. The light was more controlled than before, Aegis himself more in tune with the device embedded in his head.

"Getting serious, are we?" Noah's mocking was backed by a feeling of excitement. It was a gruelling duel, but he finally pushed Aegis past the limit, he would finally see it: Aegis' burning soul.

"I'm bringing back The Unwavering Maiden! (1000/0)" The crouching maiden rematerialized on Aegis' side of the field. Her dress overflowing onto the ground around her. Noah twitched, Aegis had not played any card to justify the summoning, it was simply came out of nowhere.

"Remember my Machine Soul Resonance? The monster I sacrificed will automatically return to the field on my second turn after I activate it." Aegis looked down at the card he had drawn as the turn began. It would be the start of his last push in the war of attrition. It would work, it had to work.

"I'm detaching Electric Tears off of Kiris, returning it into its monster form (200/0)." The small bolt of blue electricity on Kiris' face detached itself and floated onto an open space on Aegis' field. "Next I'll activate my facedown card, Interdimensional Matter Transporter! With it, Kiris will leave the field until the end of my turn."

As the android teleported away, Noah's outline glowed lightly, it was the power of his Soul Absorption spell card activating to empower him.

(Noah: 4100 Aegis: 2700)

"Now…" Aegis spread his legs apart and assumed a fighting stance, his left hand grasping onto a card in his right hand. "For something completely different! I sacrifice all three of my monsters to summon Spirit of the Betrayer! (2900/2500)" A thick haze descended onto the field, the fog overpowering the darkness.

Heavy metal footsteps preceded the appearance of the imperial warrior. The spirit assumed his position in front of Aegis, guarding his counterpart with his muscular armoured body. Long black hair drenched in a dark liquid, forming into long bangs that fell across his face. The spirit looked with gray eyes that stared through the strongest of men with a long scar running through the right eye.

"You…You destroyed that card! Why did you recreate it?" Noah was perplexed by the contradiction. Aegis however appeared solemner because of it.

"I found this card in your deck after I returned from the Shadow Realm. I feel that it is the sum of all my past experience. Every sin, and every fight I fought, this card embodies it. If I truly want to move on in life, I decided that I must accept the past in all of its lessons." Aegis' speech did not make Noah laugh as the previous one did. Rather he nodded his head approvingly, admiring the maturity of someone just a year younger than him.

"With this card, I promise you that I will destroy every last trace of Orpheus by my next turn!" Aegis' warrior obliged the declaration, drawing the two long blades strapped to his back. "As this warrior is the accumulation of all my experience, his power his tremendous! For one, if my life points are lower than yours, he gains attack and defence points equal to that difference! (4100/3900)" The warrior's body glowed in black flames, Noah shrinking under his fierce gaze.

"My spirit can attack twice in the same turn just like your head as well! However, when my spirit attacks, anything next to my target is struck as well! With each of his blades he'll rip through your defences, and can deal you damage through your defence monsters, Noah!" Noah found himself fidgeting at his pedestal, gripping onto the sides of it tightly.

"Destroy The Head of Orpheus (2800/0) with Twin Blades of Torment! (4100/3900)" The spirit warrior leaned forward and armed both blades, then vanished into thin air. The warrior reappeared before Orpheus' blackened head with both blades raised over his head, the weapons emitting two massive golden auras.

"I'll activate Negate Attack!" Noah waited until the very last second to activate the trap card, Aegis growled to have his massive press for victory cut short. The two blades came down on an invisible barrier that halted the earth shattering attack, the warrior retreating to Aegis' field.

"Well that's alright too actually." Aegis' scowl vanished and became a sinister smile. "My spirit is unlike any spirit monster, it has a very unique ability at the end of the turn." Noah twitched heavily, the surprise was minimal on his face, but it provoked an incredible reaction in the shadows.

"Spirit of the Betrayer, Wail of Doom!" The warrior dropped both of his blades, crouching over with both arms over his head. He groaned and then arced his back, head whipped backwards and began to howl to the heavens. The screaming was intense, decimating Noah's very soul as the warrior cried out.

The moment past, Noah recovering from the spiritual bombardment released by the card, but it still felt like someone took a sledge hammer to his soul. His eyes were a bit out of focus from the supernatural screaming; however he swore that when he looked at his cards that they had all turned green. Then it occurred to him that it was impossible to suffer from a physical ailment like seeing things.

"At the end of the turn, my spirit releases all of the energy he has gathered from his victims. This is the Wail of Doom." Aegis also appeared shaken by his own monster's attack, arms trembling a bit and hands barely grasping onto his cards.

"Every face-up card has its effect negated. All set cards are destroyed, and every monster on the field is petrified, turned into emerald statues. They cannot attack, they cannot change positions, they cannot even be used as tributes for summons or effects." Aegis motioned towards the fallen emerald statues that used to be Noah's most fearsome creature was neutralized. Each limp lying on the ground uselessly, even the Head of Orpheus had fallen out of the air and was lying on a nonexistent floor.

"Now that the coast is clear, XI-5 – Kiris also returns to the field in defence mode! (0/0)" Noah realized why Aegis had sent away his fair maiden at the start of the turn. He didn't imagine Aegis wanted to see her be rendered dead while under his watchful glowing eye.

"I'll draw and set a card. That's the end of my turn, Aegis." Noah played another card without looking at it. But he wasn't nearly as confident as he was last time he did the same thing. He couldn't even switch his weakened and defenceless head into defence position to protect his life points.

Aegis smiled, his eyes closing slightly to amplify the serene look on his face. "It's time, Noah." Very carefully he put a hand on the top of his deck. Methodically he slid it off the top of his deck very delicately, very slowly.

"Time that we both saw the power of this weary soul." Aegis' eye lit up, the silver light illuminating all the corners of the Shadow Realm. "I summon Seraph the Fallen! (1700/1600)"

Standing at the same height as Aegis, a thinly built man wearing a cleanly cut navy blue jacket materialized. He wore sleek black pants that had four long tail flaps at the back which connected into the jacket. On the shoulders were two large intricate silver metal pads, each wrist covered in a large silver finned gauntlet. The man's face was thin, two black horns on the side of his head over his ears. His hair was very long, forming into large bangs of silver hair.

The man folded his arms together, closed his sky-blue eyes and then forced six long bat-like wings out of his back. The upper wings were long and arced downwards while the lower set were small and jagged. The middle sets of wings were the most pronounced and resembled proper wings the most.

"The Seraphim are the highest ranking angels, yet this one was been thrown from heaven, fallen from grace." Noah thought aloud with an air of intrigue. As the monster was the equivalent to his Orpheus in its meaning, Noah tried to connect the man to the card.

"Don't think too much into it, Noah." Aegis made sure to cut off the train of thought as quickly as he could. Even Aegis wasn't entirely sure of what it meant for the card to have such a name, but it was right for him. That was all that mattered. The fallen angel folded his arms together, standing at the ready for his first command.

"Remember how I told you that I'd destroy all of your pieces of Orpheus by my next turn?" Aegis started slowly, speaking in an indirect manner to elicit feelings of uneasiness in Noah. "It's time that I followed through! If all those pieces are your soul then I will break you once and for all!"

Noah recoiled under some presence Aegis gave off. Perhaps it was the ability of his silver eye that he inherited from Kiris. Or maybe it was the power of his own soul that shone through at long last. Whatever it was, Noah could feel his shadows parting and moving away from the man and the light around him.

"I activate the spell card, Angel Impact – Final Destiny!" As the spell card slid into an open slot in Aegis' duel-disk, Seraph's right arm broke apart. The skin and cloth around it vanishing and revealing a tangle of blue vines that looked like metal tentacles from the texture on each.

The vines writhed about and then spiralled around each other to form the barrel of a cannon. From Seraph's shoulder, two small white angel wings sprouted and pointed towards the heavens. Within the barrel a white light began to collect, energy gathering in the weapon.

"By the effect of Angel Impact, every monster on your side of the field is destroyed!" Aegis clenched his fist tightly as he spoke. Then he lunged it forward at the same instant a stream of white plasma launched out of Seraph's arm and vaporized the jade remnants of Orpheus, sending them back into the abyss.

Noah braced himself for the impact of the attack, though it did not damage his life points, the backlash was felt throughout his soul. With every piece of Orpheus that was destroyed Noah could feel a portion of himself being broken apart. He groaned wearily after the worst of the blast was over, it was difficult for him to stand properly, using the pedestal as his means of support.

"After I use this card I have to end my turn. But without your pieces of Orpheus, I don't think I will be in too much of a hurry to take out the last of your life points!" Aegis felt proud of what he had done. Though it did cause Noah a fair degree of harm, he kept reminding himself that Noah would not yield so easily. At least, it was the only thing keeping him from running over and making sure that he was indeed unharmed.

"Now…Now you've done it, Aegis!" Noah's voice was harsh, fading away and rather hoarse as well. It only made him sound more discerning than he normally did. "By destroying all five pieces of Orpheus, you've gathered them together in my graveyard…Orpheus' soul has finally been reunited."

"You…Planned this from the start!" Aegis' eye twitched, his face contorting in fear. Noah grinned and chuckled to himself.

"When The Head of Orpheus and four Remnants of Orpheus gather in the graveyard, then I can activate the second ability of Mourning Nightingales!" The shadows around Noah grew darker, somehow darkness grew darker. A void opened up from under Noah's side of the field that allowed something to rise up from it. Whatever it was, Aegis knew it was the true form of Noah's soul, his ultimate monster. But he would have to wait to see what it was. Things only got worse as the singing of the tainted nightingales began once more. The song more like a harsh screeching like a banshee's.

"By removing every card with Orpheus in its name, and my Mourning Nightingales I can summon the reunited soul of Orpheus! Behold my ultimate monster, Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares! (2000/2000)" The shadows were thrown apart like the folds of a magnificent cloak. At the center was a towering demon that put Aegis' greatest card to shame.

Over his face was a large two piece mask that was formed from large bones that resembled a bird's peak. With the top portion a large dagger-like segment with two empty holes for eyes. The jawbone was long and pointed sharply at the chin with razor sharp rows of spikes for teeth.

Orpheus' body was still human, a rugged muscular black form which stood proudly with Noah. The demon wore a massive black cape that flowed through the air despite the lack of any wind. His two massive arms folded together, each hand covered with pristine white gloves like a composer's.

"When Orpheus is summoned I can equip him with Orpheus' Lyre. As Orpheus was the inventor of the instrument, it is only fitting for him to receive his lyre! When equipped with it, Orpheus can truly conduct your worst nightmares!" Aegis cringed, for whatever reason the monster emitted nothing but the purest essence of darkness. The shadows felt suffocating as they surrounded Aegis; it was the final hour of the duel.

A massive black bowed instrument formed in the hands of Orpheus. The metal grip formed out of massive coffins that were arranged like a torn angel wing. The strings arranged themselves diagonally across the length of the lyre. Orpheus strummed the strings lightly, blood flowing off of his fingers as he did so, the melody just as elegant as the drops of blood which dropped to the floor.

"Let me play you a melody. I will put you into slumber by the song of Orpheus. Let me play you a melody to make you sleep forever." Noah's spirits were lifted by the summoning of his ultimate card. It filled him with a grandiose persona that made Aegis forget that the man was his friend; he believed for a moment that he was facing Satan himself.

"Orpheus! (2000/2000) Attack Seraph the Fallen (1700/1600) with Hell's Chorus!" The maestro obliged the requested melody, striking the strings and causing blood to lash out and off of each one. The blood itself then gathered in the air into a large dark red mass that then flew into Aegis' blue angel.

"I activate the effect of The Unwavering Maiden! If she is in my graveyard when you declare an attack I can negate it and destroy your monster!" It was a bit regretful for Aegis to declare the move. In some strange way he wanted to see the full power of Noah's demon, but to secure victory it was better to hold nothing back.

An ethereal visage of the beautiful maiden returned to Aegis' field. The ghost put a hand out and caught the globs of dark red blood as they flew through the air. The moment the two forces made contact, the blood was erased from the dimension by the maiden's touch. Afterwards the ghost shot through the air and pierced the black body of the demonic maestro.

A grotesque howl escaped the bone jaws, the demon in pain and so was its master. Noah recoiled under the attack, but he recovered swiftly. Actually, his demon recovered just as quickly, it did not succumb to Aegis' will.

"It won't be so easy to destroy Orpheus! Each time he would be destroyed, the destruction is prevented and instead a Remnant of Orpheus is called back to the field." In front of the maestro a large black mass floated up from the ground. "I'll summon Remnant of Orpheus – Dismembered Body! (0/0) However now each remnant is given a power of its own, instead they empower my Maestro rather than act as lost limbs."

Orpheus' thick arms parted for a moment to let the floating body drift towards the demon's own torso. The black rotting mass twisting and turning in the air to change its shape into a chest-plate fashioned from black coffins. Noah's smile intensified as he watched the armor attach itself. Even Aegis couldn't help but watch in awe, the armor was morbidly made, but it was an incredible design.

The chest-plate was also adorned in heavy black chain links that wrapped around the torso. Each shoulder was given a much larger coffin that rested at an angle, the coffins on the shoulders also engraved with carvings of demons on the surface.

"I won't end my turn yet. Instead I'll activate the ability of Orpheus' Lyre. Rise From Your Grave!" Orpheus struck the strings once more, the song played was a long sorrowful melody. A robed man appeared behind the towering back of the maestro. Aegis recognized it to be a monster that Noah used at the beginning of the duel, Spirit Caller (900/0).

"Monsters summoned by Orpheus' lyre have their effects negated and attack strength cut in half. However, that is the price to pay for bringing back the dead." Noah's lips curled slyly. His eyes thinning into dangerous slits.

"But more importantly, their souls can be used to empower the pieces of Orpheus. Each soul that is brought back becomes an extension of the Maestro's soul, acting as his arms and legs. So I remove my Spirit Caller to bring back Remnant of Orpheus – Severed Legs! (0/0)" Aegis' eye twitched, somehow he believed that Noah forgot this was supposed to be a casual, friendly game. Though when Noah did get so fired up it was reminiscent of the days in the orphanage when they would play Cops and Robbers. Aegis smiling at the memory of all his crazy evil villain plots, they really made things more entertaining.

_"It makes for a better hero…Huh? Thanks for looking out for me, Noah."_ Two long spindly black forms phased into existence a few feet in front of the maestro. But unlike the previous time it was summoned, the black mass began to contort and twist in the air. Each leg then turned itself into large plated armor of some kind. The armor was formed out of varyingly sized black coffins that affixed themselves in a manner similar to scales. The armor finally attached itself to the legs of the maestro (400/0).

"Wait, why are your remnants gaining power? They should only do that if another remnant or The Head of Orpheus is on the field!" Aegis' observation was just what Noah was waiting for, his smile widening at it. "You forget that my maestro is the true form of Orpheus. His name is also treated as The Head of Orpheus, therefore all the effects of my remnants are applied! If all four remnants are summoned again, then Orpheus' attack points increase to ten thousand!"

"T-ten thousand?!" Aegis stuttered reflexively, though any duelist would at hearing the news. Aegis found himself clutching his fists tightly, if he had something to grab onto he would probably be wringing the life out of it. Even the twitch that once plagued him a month ago returned to his right hand. His nerves could not fathom such a titan.

"_Right now his monster only has 2000 attack points, but when he gets two more remnants on the field he'll gain something that has 10 000 attack points! Worse is that each remnant will give it more abilities…Wait! The remnants! If I destroy them I can stop this!"_

"You've become a lot stronger. I'm kind of jealous actually." Aegis laughed nervously, still trying to recover his calm stoic exterior, though it wasn't happening as his voice did not hide any of his fear. The once gruff and rather quiet voice had become drenched in emotion, at least just in fear.

Noah only nodded his head, he did not feel the same way about how to view his strength. Aegis did not pursue the matter any further, beginning his turn with a trembling hand. If he did not think of something soon, the game would be over and it would be Noah's victory.

Aegis peeked at the card he had drawn very slowly. His nerves loosened slightly to see it was a spell card, something like that could be useful immediately, or be useless indefinitely. But when he uncovered enough of it to read its name, Aegis' spirits lifted and took flight. It would be a good card.

The already lit silver right eye intensified its light. Aegis' head pounded like a jackhammer as he moved the spell card closer to the duel-disk. His vision began to blur as he could feel something simply leaving him, using the eye as a portal to the outside world. It took a great effort for him to keep his consciousness intact, he was fading away quickly under the intense pain of his soul.

Despite the self-induced torture, Aegis held onto a single thought in his mind.

_"Something like this…Won't break my soul!"_

"I activate the spell card , Infuse Soul!" Noah's eyes widened, his moments of triumph and gloating halting as a silver wisp jettisoned out of Aegis' silver eye and shot straight into the body of Seraph. Aegis stumbled forward, his body exhausted from simply sliding the card into a slot in the metal duel-disk.

Aegis' body crumbled to the abyss, his legs buckling like broken twigs. The light from his right eye also faded away. Noah was halfway over his pedestal and about to break into a mad dash with his partly faded away body to help his friend. But it would be his own two monsters that answered the call, Aegis' body being caught in the two hands of Kiris and Seraph.

"AEGIS! Are you alright?!" Noah shouted across the void to him. Aegis moaned and raised his left hand, making a thumbs-up feebly with it. Noah sighed and shook his head. "Honestly…Making me worry like that."

Aegis chuckled weakly, his right hand covering his right eye up. "I didn't expect that to take so much energy out of me…"

"With a name like Infuse Soul, what did you expect it to do?! This is the Shadow Realm! No, because of your eye, you can give things form even in the real world! Don't throw around something as precious as your soul!" Noah's lecturing surprised Aegis, only because he just realized Noah knew something he didn't.

"What do you know about this eye?!" Aegis' voice was strained by raising it to a mixture of a growl and a shout. Noah cursed under his breath and hit his forehead with his disembodied hand. Another sigh came from him, the man walking around to the back of his pedestal very slowly.

"I can't tell you everything yet. Especially when it comes to your power. It's a delicate power that hasn't taken shape yet. If you don't know anything about it then I think you'll be able to better shape it into a power you can use." Aegis didn't really understand what Noah was talking about, but whenever his voice lowered like that it was impossible to get anything more. It was best to just continue the duel.

The android and the angel propped Aegis back up on his still wobbling feet and then took to their original positions on the field. Aegis murmured his thanks to his cards, as strange as that was to him. Finally he removed his left hand from his eye, to his dismay he saw that the palm of his hand was drenched in his own blood. It was exactly like how he passed out at the end of the duel with James Raven, only the pain did not come so unexpectedly.

Aegis shrugged it off as best he could, in doing so he wanted to put Noah's own concerns at ease. Though it seemed unlikely as Noah was about to fire off into another lecture.

"By the effect of Infuse Soul," Aegis spoke quickly to keep things moving. "I can give a piece of myself to my machines, and let them have a soul of their own. I'll select Seraph the Fallen and give him my soul to transform him into Cleansed Soul – Seraph! (2200/1800)"

The fallen angel's body glowed hot white, the silver ornaments on his body transforming themselves into a suit of winged armor. The cloth was quickly covered by tarnished silver metal that was the same color as Aegis' duel-disk. The design of the armor was even the same as his duel-disk, a suit of armor formed by overlapping plates of metal that gave for a feathered appearance like a bird.

"Seraph! Attack the Remnant of Orpheus – Dismembered Body! (400/0) Great Angel Impact!" Aegis forced his body into vivid motion, arm firing forward to point at the chest-plate on the great Maestro.

"Any monster Seraph attacks now will be destroyed and removed from the game! Its attack power added to my life points!" Seraph spread his six long blue wings and began to charge for the demon. He raised his right arm, the air around his fist distorting and spiralling around it.

"If you still want to fight, then I won't hold back!" Noah's mood flipped when Aegis' fighting spirit returned. "I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work! I won't need to use the protection ability of my Dismembered Body, I'm going to redirect your attack to Orpheus instead! (2000/2000)"

Aegis hissed, recoiling from the field. Seraph's fist colliding with the side of Orpheus' bony head instead of the black coffin chest-plate just under it, the impact not even budging the demon.

(Noah: 4400 Aegis: 2700)

The damage was nothing, especially when compared to what Noah was doing as a result of it. _"Since Orpheus would have been destroyed, his effect activates, allowing him to summon another remnant. Because of my mistake, next turn Noah will summon the final remnant and Orpheus will be at full power!"_

Noah laughed darkly, not feeling the urge to taunt. "I choose Remnant of Orpheus – Bloody Left Hand (0/0) this time. Each remnant now gains another 200 attack points (600/0)." A small shrivelled dark hand levitated from its grave. As before, the hand transformed itself into a single black gauntlet forged from the coffins of countless dead. The new gauntlet fitting overtop of the Maestro's pure white glove.

"I'll set one card. Then I end my turn." Aegis' voice had returned to its original volume of just being a low frequency murmuring; he was simply too tired to speak in a more energetic tone.

Noah added a card into his hand without even looking at it, in his position he wouldn't need much else anyway. "Rise From Your Grave, Occult Cultist! (750/900)" A second robed figure carrying a long silver necklace appeared behind Orpheus, lulled back to life by the melody the Maestro played on his lyre.

"Now, with this I will sacrifice my cultist to return the last remnant! Remnants of Orpheus – Mutilated Right Arm, return to the field! (0/0)" Aegis looked desperately at his field for a possible solution, the only one he had on hand was…

The black arm that appeared to Orpheus' side transformed into a single covering for the muscular limb. The coffins arranging themselves to weave between the two massive coffins on his shoulder, the arm's armor resembling a single black angel wing with feathers forged from black coffins.

"I'm afraid that the duel is finally over! Each of my remnants are at full power (1000/0) and more importantly, Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares has reached the pinnacle of his strength! (10 000/2000)" Aegis grasped at the end of his facedown card which stuck out of his duel-disk, flicking it with his blood encrusted fingers.

"Orpheus! Attack Seraph (2200/1800) with Hell's Chorus!" Noah's titan readied his instrument, all the parts of his armor glowing as his attack readied.

"By the effect of my right arm, I'll destroy your set card and-"

"I activate it!" Aegis found he had cried out his command. His voice breaking and quivering. "Machine Soul Sacrifice…" Aegis' voice then fell silent, throat choked up. Aegis' monster, XI-5 – Kiris began to fade away from the field. Noah watched carefully as her body vanished, right as his Maestro hurled gallons of viscous blood at Seraph. The liquid stuck itself to an invisible barrier that repelled it, keeping Seraph safe from a fatal attack.

"By sacrificing Kiris, all my monsters gain immunity for the turn, as well as my life points. You won't beat me this turn, Noah." Aegis could feel himself wanting to cry. It was exactly how it was six years ago. Kiris…She gave her life to save Aegis back then, and now she was gone again, yet Aegis remained.

"Aegis…" Noah wanted to reach out and comfort his friend, but he knew it would be impossible for him to sooth the injuries.

"With…With this power…I want to protect everything…So I never have to loss another person I love because I was too weak." Aegis fought against himself fiercely, he would not shed another tear. He had cried too many times in his life.

When his parents died.

When Kiris died.

When Noah died.

Crying was useless. Aegis wanted to change something and not waste away as he drowned in his own tears.

"I've given up too much…So this will be the last time someone sacrifices themselves for me!" Aegis threw his head up to look forward. He would not stare at the earth again, standing there unmoving. Instead he knew that by looking forward and to the heavens would he finally be able to see that clear sky again.

Without a word, Noah knew his work was done. Aegis would be alright. "I end my turn."

Aegis did not glance down at the card he drew, he had something else in mind. Aegis' soul was on fire once more. He had perfect faith in himself, his soul and his deck were in perfect unison. The blood in his veins was boiling away as it ran through his body, his heart heating up with each passing of the magma. Even if it was Noah, even if the duel meant nothing, even then, Aegis would never back down again.

"I'll return the soul I gave to Seraph! Now Cleansed Soul – Seraph reverts back to Seraph the Fallen! (1700/1600)" Aegis' final monster lost his strength, for whatever reason, Aegis took back the advantage he gave it. The silver winged armor vanishing from his body, the cloth jacket underneath being revealed.

"In the process I also gain life points equal to Cleansed Soul's attack points, and Infuse Soul is placed in my hand again." Aegis removed the spell from his graveyard, Noah finally understanding what he had planned.

(Noah: 4400 Aegis: 4900)

"No soul is isolated in the world. Each experience shapes it, for better or worse. Wouldn't you agree, Noah?" Noah blinked in confusion, he didn't follow how Aegis' train of thought arrived at the statement, but he nodded his head.

"Yeah, that's true…Why do you mention it though?" Noah wondered if it was an obscure mentioning of how his soul turned out, the armoured demon Maestro breathing shallowly.

"Seraph the Fallen is no different. If he does not find atonement, if my angel does not save himself, he will descend into madness. The true ability of Seraph the Fallen is to embody the facets of the soul." Noah found he whistled again, he was constantly impressed by each new twist and turn of Aegis' deck. Despite Orpheus' unrelenting strength, Aegis never bowed down.

"By removing Seraph the Fallen, XI-5 – Kiris, Mechanized Heart and Electric Tears from the game I bring out the torment in Seraph's soul. I summon Seraph the Tormented! (1700/0)" Aegis' blue angel collapsed to the ground, his face literally cracking before the rest of it was covered by his long bangs of hair. Noah could only see the glowing light from two sky-blue slits.

"Over time Seraph's already tortured soul will deteriorate, his mind collapsing and succumbing to the rage and anguish in his heart. By removing Seraph the Tormented from the game and paying half of my life points I summon Torment! (0/0)" Aegis immediately muttered his apologies to his monster, just as its body burst. The cloth was shredded, the metal ornaments on his shoulders dropping to the ground with a loud clang.

All of the skin over Seraph's body was also discarded which revealed to Noah that the entire body of Aegis' angel was comprised of the strange blue vines that Seraph transformed into a weapon a few turns ago. The vines held each other together in the humanoid form, but without the skin overtop of it Seraph's face was no more. Instead a single large eye opened up in the center of his face, Noah flinching from the surprise of it blinking at him so suddenly.

"But even a tormented soul is still a soul. I'll play Infuse Soul to give a piece of my spirit to Torment. Even our worst thoughts are embed with a piece of our essence. With each tormented thought do we gain something we can hold onto." Aegis drew in a deep breath, now fully aware of what would happen. He placed the card fully into the duel-disk, gritting his teeth as he felt something in his chest leaving through his silver eye.

The fragment of soul flew into the back of Torment causing the beast to tremble. The vines parted at various places to let multiple dark silver metal fragments break the surface of the twisting vines. The metal on the body was arranged at random, but on the wings they covered it to make each wing into a long winding dragon. The wings moved with strange arcane life that made them as unnerving as the full-armoured Maestro.

"With this monster, I will win! Shattered Soul – Anguish! (0/0)" Aegis gasped after finishing the declaration, he had held his breath in ever since he placed Infuse Soul onto the field. After the first usage, Aegis did not suffer from the crippling pain or exhaustion.

Noah appeared troubled by Aegis' trump card. His face in great distress as he knew the card was a representation of some facet of Aegis' soul. Aegis looked on the figure without any outward sign of discomfort. There was a grace to the cacophony which formed Anguish.

"Even if you stay quiet, it won't stop me!" Much to Noah's surprise, Aegis sounded reborn. He talked with a firm voice that resonated throughout the darkness, it was a voice full of confidence that Noah only remembered Aegis using when they had first met.

"Anguish, attack Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares (10 000/2000)! Soulless Angel Impact!" Aegis reared up along with his demon to launch the attack on Noah's demon. The great musician ran his fingers across his instrument at the oncoming silver dragons.

"Whatever you're doing, Aegis you couldn't have forgotten Orpheus has ten thousand attack points!" Noah's Maestro hurled darts of blood off of his lyre at each of the silver dragons.

"And you know I would attack if I had a good reason, like the fact any monster Anguish battles with is automatically destroyed!" Noah clicked his tongue and sneered.

"Looks like you figured out Orpheus' weakness. If all my remnants are gathered then he can't protect himself anymore. But my Dismembered Body will! Your attack will go through and you'll take the full damage!" Aegis' determined face did not flicker, the smile only creeping further out.

"Anguish can't be destroyed in battle, and I don't take any damage when I attack with it either!" The six silver dragons opened each of their jaws, engulfing and consuming the thrown blood. Noah noticed the loophole in Aegis' monster, in his mind he was planning how to destroy the demon on his next turn. But it would never come.

"By the effect of Anguish, it absorbs every point of damage I would have taken, now my monster also has ten thousand attack points! (10 000/0)" The smile grew again as Noah stumbled back worriedly. The glowing red aura that suddenly surrounded Anguish gave his metaphysical body chills.

"Now…Let's end this! Anguish's final ability activates! By reducing the attack points of Anguish I can inflict damage to your life points equal to that amount, meaning…" Noah gasped, his mouth hanging open. It had somehow ended so suddenly. The constant back and forth was finally over, and just as Aegis had done as children, he had prevailed.

"I reduce Anguish's attack points to zero to send ten thousand points of damage straight past Orpheus and right at you! Call to the Torment!" Anguish's eye opened up and gazed straight at Noah. The dragon wings locked up as if they were pinned against a wall. From the chest of Anguish, waves of black energy lashed out. The attack looked like a massive black claw that went straight through Orpheus' titanic body and slashed clean through Noah's ether body, the remnants of his white clothed form being consumed in blue fire.

(Noah: 0 Aegis: 2450)

"Yeah, like you'd give in that easily." Aegis closed his eyes tiredly. Gave his shoulders a shrug and sighed to himself. There would be no fun if Aegis had won with just that.

A crazed laughter rang out through the shadows. But then it suddenly became more playful than it was deranged. The blue fire surrounding Noah vanished at the same time that the laughter ceased, his body whole again.

"Ahahaha, I couldn't help myself. But you're right!" Noah clapped his hands together, from the site of impact millions of tiny lights were sent flying. Each of the lights took a place in the shadows, turning their surroundings into the endless night sky.

(Noah: Endless Night Aegis: 2450)

"I activate my trap card Endless Night, shifting play directly to me!" Noah's field cleared itself, even the great demon Orpheus howled and collapsed to the ground, the coffins which adorned his armor breaking apart into black fragments.

"When I activated Mourning Nightingales I discarded two more spirits to place five in my graveyard. By removing all of my spirits and Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares from the game I summon the ultimate force of nature, Death (0/0)." It was strange, Aegis found himself staring at the same scene as years before. The only difference was he had the resolve and peace of mind that gave him confidence in ending the duel.

"You don't have Kiris' help this time. If you want to beat Death you will have to rely only on your own soul! So let me see it again, that burning soul that can overcome death!" Noah's challenge only fuelled Aegis' competitive spirit. Last time Aegis had to fight for his life, he had to face his best friend with hatred. It was the only way he could justify killing him. To face Noah with a face that he would hate and loath, that way he would feel less betrayed.

A towering black robe lifted off of the ground, simply floating in place in the endless sky. The spectre that Aegis had summoned twice by his own quivering hand was once again with its rightful owner. The chilling presence that froze over Aegis' heart was just as he remembered. He could even feel the intense fear forming into cold bullets that rolled off of his face. The only difference was his fear did not overcome his senses. The instincts to run and cower were crushed, only fighting spirit remained.

"Death! Destroy Aegis' Anguish! Release him from the torment of his past! The End!" The Grim Reaper obeyed Noah with such obedience that Noah's actions seemed no more significant than ordering a dog to sit. The spectre's waving cloak parting to slowly allow a skeletal hand to appear. The bony fingers pressing lightly against Anguish.

The demon cried out in agony, twisting and turning in pain before seizing up. The silver metal would be the first piece to erode at Death's touch, quickly turning to dust and falling away. Then the vines that formed Anguish would rot away into mere dust.

"You knew about Death's ability, which is why you burned away all of Anguish's attack points last turn. If your monster's attack was zero then you would take no damage." Noah rolled his shoulders and sighed dramatically. Aegis chuckled lightly in response, clutching at his chest with his right hand. When Anguish was destroyed a piece of himself seemed to be damaged, but it made sense as he had given the monster a portion of his soul. In the Shadow Realm the act would be much more than a symbolic gesture.

"But if you didn't know, each time Death attacks he gets closer to reaping your soul…Watch." Noah pointed at the large spectre, he did not retract the skeletal hand as Aegis remembered it too. Instead it reached back into the folds of the vast cloak and produced a large hourglass which Death grasped in his single hand.

The sand in the top segment of the timepiece drained rapidly until a third had poured into the bottom section. Death gave the hourglass a gentle shake to see if anymore sand would fall, and when it didn't he replaced it into the folds of his cloak.

"In two more turns all of the sand will fall to the bottom and you'll lose anyway. Don't take too long in thinking of a way to beat Death, Aegis!" Aegis nodded his head firmly. It was not a taunt, it was a piece of good advice.

"Then I'll end things this turn. I play Heaven's Descent!" Aegis pointed a finger straight up through the night sky. His single finger parting the darkness and bringing forth the light of the sun into the eternal Shadow Realm.

"This card returns every card that has been removed from the game to our decks and then lets me draw two cards!" Noah did not pay any attention to Aegis, instead he stared into the light longingly. It was far too long since he had seen sunlight with his weary eyes. Noah's body overcome by nostalgia, he simply took a moment to remember the last time he had been under the shining sun.

Aegis let Noah enjoy his moment in the light. He drew his cards with a happy smile, he had made Noah smile in true sincerity just by bringing the light with him. With the summoning of a monster to his side of the field Noah snapped out of his daydream and lazily directed his eye to Aegis.

At Aegis' side Seraph the Fallen had returned to play. The blue garbed angel had both of his arms folded, him and his master radiating auras of quiet confidence.

"From the look on your face, you've either drawn nothing. Or you've got to make a choice you don't want too." Noah found his own voice had become solemn and somewhat remorseful.

"I…Don't want to say goodbye. When this duel ends you leave again…" Aegis sighed and looked to the ground.

"I told you, one day I will be back! And we can play Cops and Robbers all over again, Aegis." Noah put aside his own regret and gave Aegis the best smile he could muster. It didn't seem that Aegis was reassured, Noah sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Then an idea came to him.

Noah reached down to his pedestal and sifted through the cards in his deck. Aegis watched to see what he was aiming to do, viewing so the scene with such a fierce focus that his mind barely reacted in time to force his left hand up and to grab onto a hurled stack of cards.

Aegis turned them over in his hand, a stack of Duel Monster cards in his palm. At the top of the pile, staring up at him was the silver bodied musician, Orpheus.

"Take them with you, Aegis. Those are the fruits of my labour. All of my hard work, my soul is in those cards. When the time is right and you feel you're ready I would be honored if you called upon my soul. I promise you that the next time you see Orpheus, he'll play you a song to accompany your victory." When Aegis looked to his friend he found his smiling face looking back at him.

"Just don't try relying on me in a bind! I know you can take on the world and win! You're Aegis Hallow! The Hero!" Noah pumped a fist in the air, then pointed it straight at Aegis, his body moving underneath his trenchcoat slightly. Aegis finally smiled back and rubbed the back of his neck before nodding.

"You're still a bit rough around the edges, but you'll be alright! Now, let's see it, come at me with everything you got!" Noah leaned in on the pedestal, tenting his fingers together and resting his chin gently on them.

"Always remember the feeling you have running through your veins right now. Declare your name to the world, make sure the universe knows who the hell you are! Aegis Hallow!" At those words Aegis sprung into action, throwing both of his arms down to the night sky below, at the same time Seraph mimicked the action.

"Angel Impact…" A card slide between Aegis' two arms and into the duel-disk. Gigantic white feathered angel wings shot out of Seraph's right shoulder, the white wings overcoming his own set of blue ones.

Then Aegis threw his right arm up to the heavens above, Seraph's arm following suit as it split apart into vines. The limb's inner workings wrapped around each other to create a cannon with four long arced gray spikes which pointed into the center of a barrel.

"_Thank you for everything Noah. Don't take too long. Let's play again soon."_

"Destiny's End!" Both heart and soul acted together, Aegis and Seraph's arms pointing straight at the Grim Reaper. For an instance, time froze, Noah etching the fierce burning soul on Aegis' face into his mind over the memory of his enraged death roar and twisted face. It was a much better image that Noah would hold onto until they met again.

From the barrel of Seraph's cannon one final burst of light engulfed the black reaper, and Noah's smiling face with it.

"_Looks like you caught me again, Aegis. Next time when we play Cops and Robbers maybe I'll be the cop for once…"_

The audience and the judges worked diligently for over an hour to decide what to do. Never before had something so bizarre happen during the Millennium Tournament. The entire dueling field had been encapsulated in an unending pillar of black swirling energy. The only trace of either duelist was the black cowboy hat dropped by one of the duelists before the wall separated the duelists and the world.

However the thousands in the stands burst out into intense cheering and screaming. The authorities at the dueling field whipped their heads back and forth wildly, shocked at the sudden outcry. Finally David, who had been rubbing away more of his thinning brown hair, noticed it.

The massive monitor that displayed the stats of the duel had finally reacted for the first time since the start of the chaos. To his relief, the final results were in favor of his favorite.

(Ark: 0 Aegis: 2450)

The shadows faded rapidly, the first glimpses of true sunlight from the winter sky raining down onto the one remaining duelist. His opponent was no longer present, just a heap of straw and white cloth resting at the metal pedestal. The glint of a glass shard resting lightly atop of the mass.

Aegis' eyes weren't used to the light at first, squinting for a minute to adjust. His ears were also accustomed to the silence of the Shadow Realm, so the cheering was more deafening than normal. It took a moment for it to sink in, but Aegis nearly forgot that he was standing on top of the metal platform where the world's finest gathered to battle for the most prestigious title in the dueling world.

Aegis had won his first duel in the great Millennium Tournament, in the process he had found his best friend again. The past which Aegis used to be so afraid of, and used as his crotch was no more. From then on, Aegis would rely on the strength of his soul.

He took in the surroundings, the raving fans, the light. The light of a new day. Aegis looked down at himself to find that he had bled a lot more than he originally suspected. Blood left drying up on the front of his trenchcoat, a bit on his metal gauntlet, and a profuse quantity caking his left hand. He could only imagine how much was still left on his face.

_"Somehow, I don't think this was from being injured…Kiris, even you're sad to say goodbye to Noah. I'm just glad you got to meet him."_ Aegis smiled to himself. Opened his mouth wide and took in a large breath of the air of the living. He then turned around on the spot with his stiff legs and bent over to pick up his fallen cowboy hat.

With one hand at the top and his other hand on the back brim, Aegis carefully fitted it over his black hair, tilting it down to make it just perfect. Very slowly Aegis walked away from the dueling field, savouring the memories he had created, placing them where the anguished thoughts of a time five years ago were.

"_Good bye Noah. __Until we meet again."_


	12. Turn 12: Strength of Soul

**Soul of a Duelist**

**Turn 12: ****Strength of Soul**

The chaos caused by Aegis' controversial match had halted the massive tournament until the middle of the afternoon. The local law enforcement was called in to actually strip search every single duelist and anyone remotely related to the Millennium Tournament. Aegis supposed they had to make sure the rest of the people involved were all human.

For better or worse, Aegis had also made international papers for his feat. Though the majority of the world acknowledged the strange things that happened with Duel Monsters, most people had the sense to never speak of it as it was frowned upon. But with something so dangerous happening in the Millennium Tournament it had directed all the eyes of the world to watch and pay attention for any strange mishaps that could be tied to Duel Monsters.

Being the man who was caught up in the shadows, Aegis had drawn a massive amount of attention from all sorts of people. Those that remembered the black-haired man from his former dueling days to new agents that were interested in signing him on before someone else could. It was difficult for Aegis to move about at the tournament site as he was easily recognized from his massive trenchcoat and the ever changing headgear.

Little children seemed to love his company the most, Aegis assumed it was because he looked like some rugged superhero from a comic book. He often would give simple advice to the kids that gathered around his table when he was eating lunch. Many of them wanted to take a look at Aegis' deck, though it never left his hands he always obliged the requests, it also gave Aegis a chance to study the combinations he could use himself.

Aegis spent the evening sitting up in the stands, where even more people wanted to talk to him about his morning duel. In all honesty Aegis just enjoyed watching heated competition so he wasn't entirely keen on the constant assault of questions. Still, he did enjoy the company; it was a lot better than being alone in Europe.

Rather unexpectedly Aegis noticed he drew the attention of women in around the same numbers as he could attract children. Though all sorts of people wanted to meet and greet with Aegis, those two groups were the ones he noticed came to him the most. Despite his outward laissez-faire demeanor, Aegis found that he was rather guiltily enjoying the feminine attention.

For the moment Aegis found that he was accompanied by half a dozen rather pretty looking women. They had complimented him on how brave or how strong he was for surviving in the Shadow Realm. To maintain his stoic aura, Aegis had retreated into his notebook while dealing with his audience. In doing so it made him appear aloof, but also moved the conversation onto his writing.

In all honesty Aegis was rather poor at dealing with those from the other gender. He figured that if he kept relatively calm and unmoving on the outside no one would notice that boyish jittering of his hand, or could simply write off the constant twitching as a habit when holding a pen.

The crowd suddenly roared, Aegis' attention moving away from his paper to the game at hand. The intermission was over and the next two duelists would appear. Aegis didn't even hear David introduce the two so he wasn't sure who would pop out.

Strutting out of the left hallway wearing a black leather jacket was a piece of Aegis' rather distasteful recent past. Vincent Vesarius was the classic bad-boy in how he dressed and in how he conducted himself. Wearing a pair of sunglasses, nice black leather biker pants to top off the look. His dark brown hair had been gelled to one side to complete the persona.

Vincent's flamboyant and reckless attitude captivated the attention of Aegis' cohorts. Suddenly Aegis truly wished he was as detached as he appeared to be.

"Isn't that Vincent Vesarius?" One of them spoke curiously. Aegis could feel a swirling mass of dread in what would inevitably happen next.

"Yeah…It is." No choice but to say those words. The news of what happened in Spirare was known by everyone at the Millennium Tournament.

"Didn't he beat you?" The red-head to his left then asked the next question. It was posed innocently enough but Aegis had enough experience with people to detect the connotation.

"Yes…He did." Again, there wasn't anything else he could think of saying.

"You know I hear he's had two dozen offers of being sponsored for the pro-league!" The damage was done, Aegis couldn't do a thing to stop the snowballing of support for Vincent. He pretended to half listen to the gossip of what they had 'heard' happen between Vincent and Aegis.

_"I…Don't think I like that guy."_

Aegis buried himself into his notebook to drown out the gossiping. It didn't serve him much good but it was an attempt to change the course of his train of thought. The opposite sex always made Aegis feel rather inadequate. Despite his new found confidence and that rough exterior, he was no better at dealing with girls than he was when he was ten.

At times Aegis dared to look at the dueling field, Vincent was dominating his opponent exactly like how he beat Aegis. His lone swordsman Sonaris was slashing through the opposition's field with ease. Aegis hoped by watching the duel he would gain some insight in how to beat Vincent.

Aegis was facing Vincent in his next match tomorrow.

The duel finished quickly, Vincent winning with ease. The moment he won for whatever reason Vincent was able to stare straight up at Aegis' seat to give him a hateful stare. Though the women seated around him mistook it for a flirtatious advancement which caused a collective squeal.

The seats around him emptied themselves at breakneck speed, a flurry of miniskirts and purses rushing by Aegis. He watched with a bit of bitterness in his heart as his makeshift posse abandoned him for Vincent. After Aegis was sure that they were out of earshot he slumped over and let out a defeated sigh.

"I didn't think you went for the ditzy type." Aegis spun around and looked around for the source of the voice which just addressed him. Finally he looked straight up at the row of seats behind him, locating the origin.

The voice that Aegis heard came from a rather tomboyish looking girl, actually the voice was somewhat androgynous so he couldn't peg the owner of it until he looked.

"I don't…But…It's kind of nice to have company sometimes." Aegis murmured his response, his shyness kicking in already. Next to him, his new companion took an open seat, which is when Aegis took the chance to examine the girl.

She was slightly shorter than him, coming just short of Aegis' forehead. She wore a blue and white jacket with fading blue jeans. On her head she had a white baseball cap over her neatly tied waist-length black hair. Aegis then noticed her auburn brown eyes looking at him through a pair of thin black framed glasses, inquisitively returning his examination.

Aegis suddenly realized how strange he was acting and directed his eyes to the notebook in his lap. He could feel some blood rush to his cheeks involuntarily, he hated how childish his conduct was.

"My name is Alice Feague. But you can call me Al." Despite the almost stalker-eyes Aegis had used on Alice, she still seemed to be considering him a friendly. Aegis' hand fumbled around for a moment as he dug it out of his coat pocket to offer to Al.

"Aegis. Aegis Hallow." Suddenly he realized how odd it was for him to introduce himself. More than likely she had already known who he was. It wasn't like he had a face that blended in, actually most of it simply blended in with his black hair, the right half of his face simply covered up by it.

"Are you from around here, Al?" Aegis' mind raced through the conventions for how to conduct himself in such a situation. The question was generic and general, it would be acceptable and in Aegis' mind he could see a scoreboard handing him a point.

"Yes, I live rather close to this stadium. It's really something to see as big as the Millennium Tournament come to this city." Alice smiled as she talked, Aegis couldn't help thinking that she had quite a charming smile.

"Ah…How do I say this…You kind of look like someone I know…" After seeing her smile the sense of familiarity came across Aegis' mind. There was something a bit familiar or at least similar to something he had seen somewhere else. Alice appeared a bit troubled by Aegis' comment, the scoreboard suddenly taking away that one point.

"Ah! N-never mind! It must've just been me, haha…" It wasn't a duel, it wasn't a life-threatening situation, but his confrontation was making Aegis sweat. Without even thinking, his right hand extracted a pen from his pocket and advanced it towards his notebook. Alice's eye noticed the movement and pointed to the page of scribbling.

"Are you writing something, Aegis?" The mental calculations went firing off in Aegis' head. Alice seemed to be actively striking up conversation, despite the two mess-ups Aegis had caused. The numbers crunched themselves and the ultimate result was one point for Aegis.

"Yeah, actually I am." Aegis' voice gained some confidence. Writing was one of the things he was confident about ever since he started. "People don't know this, but I've been writing ever since I left the dueling world. I don't use my actual name, so I go by Mister S. Taljanan."

At hearing the name Alice perked up. "To be honest…" Alice pause enticed Aegis' curiosity and made him dare a second glance over at his companion. She was fidgeting slightly with both her hands in her lap, the sight made Aegis' cheeks redden, it was simply too cute. "You're actually my favorite writer!"

"Ah! That's…That's great! I've never met a fan before!" Aegis' voice increased in volume as he could feel his ego swell. Another point added to the scoreboard. "Then again, no one has figured out my real name until now!"

"I decided that it might be a bit inconvenient for me to use my real name. So I decided to use Mister S. Taljanan. Taljanan is Germanic for 'tell'. Mister S. Tell, or Mister Storyteller." Aegis had waited for a very long time for the opportunity to explain the origins to his penname. Alice clapped lightly and smiled at Aegis, she appeared to be impressed. Another point for Aegis.

"Can I see what you're working on? It's been a very long time since you published anything, Mister Taljanan." Aegis laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He put away the pen in his hand and snapped his notebook shut before placing it into Alice's delicate hands.

"Well, since you know the truth about one Mister S. Taljanan, mainly that he's the former dueling prodigy Aegis Hallow, you're not going to find a lot of my stories in there for now." Alice hummed but still opened up the pages of the notebook.

"I do have something I think I'll finish in a bit. But right now I've been recording information on the other duelists." Somehow Alice's smile grew a bit larger at hearing about the content.

"A duelist first and a storyteller second?" Aegis thought for a moment at the comment and then laughed.

"Hard to say, they're both things I really dedicate myself too. But, right now, I'll be Aegis Hallow the Duelist instead of S. Taljanan the Storyteller." Alice smiled radiantly which caused another blush from Aegis, the boy looking away quickly.

Alice skimmed through the pages slowly, carefully examining Aegis' scribbled notes that covered the margins. Aegis made sure to write down as much as he could about each duelist, and then assessed how much of a threat they could be.

Suddenly it occurred to him, he had placed his own personal commentary in between the lines of useful notes. Remarks on the hairstyle or any quirks were written in. To him they were things that made him laugh, but what would Alice think?

"His hair looks like it was my lunch." Alice then read one of the remarks Aegis penciled in. His head firing to the side to gauge the reaction of his reader, much like how he would wait feverishly to hear from his editor on how well his latest story was doing. Then Alice snickered. Yet another point for Aegis. Then Alice turned the page, reading more of what Aegis wrote. He strained his mind to try and think back at what he had written next.

"Vincent Vesarius…I don't really like him much. What a stuck-up jerk! Get over things in life!" Alice seemed more curious than she was amused by the header on the page. Aegis suddenly felt like he lost a few points in his mental scoreboard.

"Vincent is your next opponent, isn't he?" Another point thrown out the window. Aegis nodded his head mechanically, his mind scouring for words to defend himself with.

"Do you think you'll win?" Aegis' minded grinded to a halt, the silly notions of how to impress his new reader were tossed aside to reconsider reality. The reality was that facing Vincent had more meaning than anyone would guess. There were many things Aegis wanted to atone for, what he did to Vincent and the residents of the apartment complex ranked high on that list.

Tomorrow was when Aegis would put himself to the test. Aegis wanted to make sure he could stand his ground in the face of some of his worst sins coming back for him. Each one he could overcome meant getting one step closer to living a life he only dreamt of.

"Yeah. I'll win. I don't care how many bad memories Vincent throws at me. The past is the past, we can only learn from it, nothing else." Alice thought on the response for a moment and then giggled. Aegis looked away while lowering his head; the embarrassment was great that day.

"I'll cheer for you tomorrow, Aegis!" The encouragement flooded Aegis' body with a surreal warmth. For some reason he felt very comfortable while around Alice. She then turned her eyes back down to Aegis' notebook and turned the page. For a moment her left eyebrow shot up, something had greatly caught her interest, but it was only for a moment and her expression returned to normal.

"Iris Lifian. She's as good for me as a viper shoved down my throat, chewing up my oesophagus and injecting me with venom all the way down." Alice recited the passage on the page. Aegis instantly grumbling to himself when recalling his rival.

"In the end, she'll be the biggest competition I have. That and I need to beat her to get back my hat!" Aegis found that he was forced onto his feet by sheer fighting spirit when reminded of his hat. Alice tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you so hung up about a hat?" Aegis' head spun around, his eyes fierce as he directed his eyes to Alice.

"I've had that hat for so long it's like a piece of me! That worn out hat has kept my head dry in all the rain and snow, I feel like it helps define me! Besides!" Aegis calmed down, seating himself once again after his little outburst.

"It's the principle of the matter. She beat me with a bunch of mind-games! I didn't sleep the night before our duel because of some things I was thinking about, those mind-games only made things worse! I need to pay her back for messing with me like that!" Alice appeared saddened by the reasoning, though Aegis didn't notice. She closed the notebook and handed it back to Aegis.

"Well, I have to go for now. It was fun talking to you, Aegis." Alice stood up and turned to face Aegis, Aegis also jumping onto his feet.

"Y-yeah. I'd like that, Al. I'm mostly hanging around someplace I can write if uh…You're, you know, looking around for me…" Aegis had a strong start to his voice, but near the end it began to waver and dwindle away. There goes another point.

He watched 'Al' walk away quietly, Aegis' mind replaying the events and already throwing 'what-ifs' at him. However a piece of Aegis resolved to leave it be. He had just gotten free of his incident with Noah from five years ago, and it wasn't a messy resolution either. There was a lesson to be learned from that, Aegis sighing and taking note of his own advice for once.

Aegis' hand reached into his trenchcoat and reproduced the black cowboy hat he had wore in the morning, put it over his head and plunged his hands into his pockets.

_"If it's not one thing, it's another. I should learn how to stop worrying so much."_ Despite all the logic that was employed, Aegis' mind still couldn't help but wish he was a bit classier in how he conducted himself. _"This has been a long day. Way too much has happened to me…_" Aegis smiled faintly, patting his left hand against his left coat pocket, a lumpy mass in it.

"You better get back soon, Noah! From here on out I'll be walking ahead!" Aegis didn't speak to anyone, simply shouting up into the air amidst all the chatter around him. Amused at himself, Aegis decided to retire for the night. It was going to be a long walk back to the hotel anyway.

The clouds had moved back in overnight, Aegis frowning heavily as he stared up into the sky outside of the stadium. Aegis thanked his good fortune that he was still in the Millennium Tournament. By the end of the first day a quarter of the duelists were mowed down and ejected, forced to nurse their bruised egos until their next chance in four years.

The gray skies reminded Aegis of Spirare's sky. He wondered at how everyone at the homeless shelter was doing at that moment. Aegis wanted to call them when he returned to the hotel last night, but he didn't count on being so exhausted and collapsed onto the bed immediately after returning. In the morning he also didn't have a chance to pick up and dial the center's number since he didn't want to run late for his match.

A melancholy sigh came out of Aegis as he stared up at the dark clouds. He felt a bit guilty that he didn't even take the time to call after so much drama and effort on the part of the shelter to get him out to the Millennium Tournament. _"Right! After I beat Vincent the first thing I do will be to call everyone!" _

Suddenly Aegis retraced his thoughts. 'After I beat Vincent.' Aegis laughed quietly. He changed dramatically after returning from the Shadow Realm; at least it seemed like that. His former dueling essence was flowing back into him, that confidence was what made him a legend years ago.

"Well, times change. But this time, I think it'll be ok if I'm a little arrogant." Aegis chuckled to himself and slowly filed into the stadium amidst the rest of the spectators.

With David's introduction finished, Aegis walked out of the corridor and greeted the dueling fanatics by tipping his porkpie hat. The hat gave Aegis the air a sophisticated gentleman, Aegis even seemed to be acting the part. He stretched his arms out to the side and turned to face the audience, tipping his hat and bowing lowly before straightening up and putting his hat away into his trenchcoat.

Aegis then quickly scanned the stands, looking around for a pair of black framed glasses and a white baseball cap. However it was nearly impossible to tell anyone apart as all the faces and clothing simply blended together into a mosaic of the masses. It suddenly occurred to him how foolish it really was trying to find Alice in the crowd. There wasn't any real reason for her to be present either, the encouragement was more of a formality than it was a task.

In one final search attempt Aegis turned his dark brown eye up and to his left at the spot he was seated in yesterday. To his surprise, a hand waved back at him. To his disgust, it was a black gloved hand. Attached to it, the owner wore a black uniform and the most aggravating smile Aegis had ever seen in his life.

_"Iris? Why is she in the one spot I look at?! Stop smiling at me like that! Just rubbing in how she took my hat! Stupid smug, Iris!"_ Aegis paused himself. He looked away from Iris' serene smiling face, feeling his cheeks filling with some extra blood.

_"To think…If Noah was serious back in the Shadow Realm…The very last thing I might've thought was how I wanted to see Iris again! That's…Not what I wanted to think! Why did that even come to mind?! This is…I…Did I always worry so much?"_ Aegis couldn't help but cover his face up with his gauntlet. His facial muscles were in disarray. He felt strange inside, it didn't feel nice.

Aegis knew that he was being much more irrational about how he conducted himself on the matter of Iris than he usually was. But to think that the last thing his mind came up with in such a dire situation was her overconfident smiling face simply unsettled Aegis' calculative mind to no end. It almost seemed like his heart or his soul had betrayed his consciousness. What a dreadful feeling.

"Chickening out already, Hallow?" Vincent blasted through Aegis' boyish worries. He had silently appeared across from Aegis with his entire gangster attire. Black leather jacket, pants and dark sunglasses that rested a little way down his nose so he could give Aegis a good cold glare with his ruby red eyes.

Aegis paused before reacting, making sure to evaluate himself as his mind replayed the events of the last duel, his breakdown and the weight of his sins. For some reason, the deaths that hung over his head did not seem so numerous, the anguished cries no longer reaching his ears.

The things he had done were still there, the facts did not change. Aegis wished for the best to those that remained like him. The past was gone, the only thing Aegis wanted to do was to honour those that lived.

_"I am not who I was. I am here, and I am now. So, I will live. And I will respect those that have let me come so far. If they forgive me or not is not up to me. I have forgiven myself. Right now, I just want to be heard and that is good enough." _Aegis lowered his arms to his sides, took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. _"I'll be alright."_

"Vincent, when I'm done here today, I'll make sure you understand who I am!" The duel-disk armed itself, the blade ejecting with such force that sparks shot out of the servos and motors, Aegis' metal fist clenching together with a metallic ringing.

(Vincent: 8000 Aegis: 8000)

"I'm going to like crushing your dreams for a second time! Maybe after this you'll finally stay dead!" Vincent opened up the war with a powerful shot. He was sure it would hit with the power of a howitzer, judging from the suddenly silent Aegis, it appeared to be a direct hit. Any moment Aegis would start trembling again!

Then something strange happened. Aegis looked away quickly, his face a bit red and his eyes shut tightly with a look of reluctance on his face. _"Stupid Iris being in the stands today! It's got me all wound up! I better not hear anything about this anywhere afterwards."_

Aegis looked over at Vincent with a solemn face, then proceeded to undo the top button to his trenchcoat. "I'm only doing this once, so pay attention." Vincent grunted as Aegis actually appeared to be undressing himself! The crowd also became to act up at the sudden action; they expected something strange from the day's match, but this was too much!

Aegis listened deafly to the excited whispering in the stands, burying the lower half of his face into his tall collars to try and hide as he undid another set of buttons. Vincent was flustered by the obscenity of it all, slamming a foot into the metal floor and shouting in protest.

"I think it's time I taught you what it really means to have the strength to live!" Aegis decided it was no time to be bashful. He had to maintain his dueling reputation of a fierce hardened duelist. With his face solidified once more and turned to stone, it would be time to get back his reputation with his next display.

With a large swinging motion Aegis whipped open his trenchcoat and spun the entire blue fabric mass straight up into the air, the massive coat hanging up against the force of gravity.

Underneath his trenchcoat, Aegis only wore ratty faded away black dress pants, leaving his entire upper-body in plain sight for thousands to see. The reason as to why Aegis took to wearing such a large article of clothing was mostly out of self-consciousness.

His body had been covered in numerous scars and burns that never quite healed. Cuts and gouges ran the course of Aegis' thin frame, he looked much frailer than he led the world to believe. Still, the tattered body was not one for a weak man; there was plenty of muscle that was finely honed over years of harsh experience.

Aegis reached up into the air into his floating trenchcoat, then hurled it far off to the side, in his hands a wrinkly white dress shirt. He promptly swung it around his back and slid both of his arms through the sleeves before beginning to do up the buttons.

"You say I'm weak, Vincent. Yet you don't understand the strength you need to simply live, to walk forward in life." Aegis' voice was more of a savage growling than it was coherent speech, his hands doing up the very last button around his collar.

"So you got a few scars, big deal! I got scars too from gang fights, so what?!" Despite his words, Vincent still seemed a bit disturbed by all of the damage on Aegis' body, as was most of the crowd. Aegis was acutely aware of the talk in the audience as well, which left his cheeks somewhat rosy.

"I got these scars from pulling people out of fires. For being shot at for protecting someone. I've had more than sticks and stones hurled at this body, and I'm still here. Don't think all I've done in my life is run and hide." Aegis didn't raise his voice during his counterattack. He simply talked with the same low grating voice that he used all the time.

"And you think I have?! Ever since you ditched us I've devoted myself to fighting against those in power who keep taking everything away from the weak!" Aegis shook his head which only made Vincent's temper worse, one of the judges blowing his whistle sharply when Vincent began to make advances towards Aegis.

"Whether you like it or not, you and I are more alike than you think." Aegis adjusted his collar with his steel gauntlet, the coolness of the metal fingers passing through the white fabric around his neck.

"I'm not a wimp like you, Hallow!" The exchange was over with one final defiant vocal blasting. Vincent had had enough of the banter and drew his five card opening hand. "I'll tear you apart just like I did in Spirare!" Vincent took the initiative and took his sixth card.

He then shoved a card from his hand into his duel-disk with enough power to bend the metal that held it together.

"I activate Swords of Revealing Light! We play this game by my rules, Hallow!" A large green spell card lifted off of the ground on Vincent's side of the field. Along with the arrival of Vincent's cards came massive swords of light that rained down from the sky and into Aegis' field.

"I'll end my turn, Hallow. Let's see your stupid ghosts again!" Vincent sneered and spat at the ground towards Aegis' field, one of the judges frowning at the display.

Aegis acknowledged the turn priority passing back to him, but he couldn't help but fidget with his collar yet again. His old dueling uniform was in fact the same black dress pants and white collar dress shirt he had on. The only thing that was missing would be his favorite red velvet tie which he had to leave in his bag.

"_Honestly…Doing something like that __just now…I feel so exposed…"_ Aegis shook his head again, not for a second finding it odd that he was paying no attention to his duel or Vincent. Vincent detected the lack of focus and slammed his foot into the metal yet again.

"If you're not even going to pay attention then just give up and save yourself the humiliation, Hallow!" Aegis lazily sighed and rolled his head in a slow circle before resting his left eye on Vincent. His silver right eye peaked through his bangs of hair to give his face an eerie glint, Aegis' laid back posture only contributed to his almost rag-doll appearance.

"I'm not worried because I know the outcome. I will show you the difference in our strength, Vincent." Aegis pulled a stack of cards off and spread them apart with a flick of the wrist. "By the time this duel is over I will make you understand who I am. I'll make sure to get my point across by extracting each and every one of your life points!" The crowd rose up and roared at the daring challenge. Vincent snorted and shoved his sunglasses back up and over his eyes.

"You're blowing steam, Hallow! Get on with it!" Aegis wordlessly complied, commencing his turn with his sixth card. As he pulled the card off, he could feel a flare up in his silver eye, the eye pulsing in its socket for a moment. At first Aegis was startled by the sensation, then he noticed the card he had drawn and it suddenly became clear. In his left hand he held onto XI-5 – Kiris, upon seeing it a thin smile crossed Aegis' face.

"_I appreciate the senti__ment, but this time just leave things to me."_ Aegis put Kiris' card away at the very right of his selection of cards, right next to the silver musician Orpheus. Aegis couldn't help but smile a bit to see such eager and supportive friends, but for Aegis to beat all that Vincent was, he wanted to do it with his own strength.

"I activate Angel Impact! This lets me add the monster, Seraph the Fallen from my deck to my hand, and I'll summon him right away in attack mode! (1700/1600)" It was time for Aegis to make his big debut, and to commence it was his signature monster.

With a similar professional air as Aegis, Seraph shot out from the ground with his massive blue wings furled around his body. While high up in the air so that the entire stadium could see, he forced his six great wings apart and hovered for a moment.

The crowd marvelled in the dramatic entrance, Seraph's black and blue uniform reminiscent of a clean cut business suit. The silver designs on his shoulders and wrists shone brightly with holographic lights, even his silver hair could produce a reflection.

Aegis couldn't help but smile as Vincent looked on in confusion at the card as it descended into place on Aegis' field. _"That's right, I'm not the same as I was when we duelled last time."_

"To end my turn I activate Pandora's Box!" Beside of Seraph a tiny ebon black box materialized. The lid of the small accessory rattled the moment it appeared, a subtle yet disturbing thing for it to do. "I won't lie. I have done many sinful things in my life. I wish I could right the wrongs, but-"

"Then lie down and die for once, Hallow!" The sudden outburst didn't seem to go over so well with the crowd, the onlookers stunned and unsure of what to do. The papers seemed to have failed to mention the intense hatred between the two.

Aegis appeared unfazed by the words. Many worse things had been echoed within the confines of his mind, and he had survived them. He wagged his metal clad finger at Vincent with an amused smirk. "If I could atone and fix everything with just my life, then I would have died a long time ago, Vincent!" The reply was firm and had no hint of sadness, only a strong second meaning behind it.

"You and everyone saw the pains of this body, yet I'm still here, only part by choice, the rest by the will of those I left behind!" Aegis hurled his arm forward, pointing accusingly at Vincent, all the while smiling with some unknown expression on his face.

"Only by carrying my head high can I honour those that have come before me! As long as I draw breath and walk forward will I have the chance to atone for every sin I've committed! One scar, one agonized cry at a time! Now be quiet so I don't have to stand up here all day trying to duel you!" Aegis tapped the metal on his duel-disk impatiently, the smugness he was displaying was sufficient in keeping Vincent silent it seemed.

Aegis chuckled and shrugged his shoulders laxly. Vincent growled at the nonchalant display, knowing that he was starting to test the patience of the judges and even the crowd with all of his character attacks on Aegis. "First, I'll set two cards and now…When I end my turn I can do the unthinkable and reach into Pandora's Box, opening it up and releasing its evil. But, for you that just means I can add a card with Relic of Sin from my deck to my hand."

The black box shot up into the air and straight into Aegis' outstretched left hand, stopping nicely in his palm. Aegis was impressed with the card's dynamics, the projectors just seemed to play his cards in such a way that it felt like the projections were real. He felt like he was trying to weave a story, except with all the power of creation of a god and not just his pen and paper.

Aegis flipped the box over and cracked open the trembling lid, legions of black howling spectres flying out of the small box and into the air. He couldn't help but be amused as the other systems of the dueling field kicked in, powerful fans from underneath the stadium gusting and blowing air into the air all over the stadium so as to give the audience the feeling they were involved in the duel.

With a slight of hand Aegis made it appear like he reached into the box and pulled out a card, the truth of the matter was he simply let his deck fall into his hand as he plunged it into the hologram. Then fanned it apart before pulling out the card he wanted. The action was the sort of practiced slight of hand that often saved his life in the past; and it was a great party favor. The lid fell back into place after Aegis pulled his hand out, the box falling to the ground and the stadium fans ceasing.

"To end my turn I add Relic of Sin – Samael's Wing to my hand." As luck would have it, Aegis' titanic royal blue trenchcoat was lifted into the air by the stadium effects, the fans blowing it high above him. But as it came down, the garment was positioned to land just a bit to Aegis' right, so he shot his metallic right arm up and clean through the right sleeve. Not to break stride, Aegis followed through and swung the other half of his coat and put it back on.

Aegis' smile only widened as he reflected on his own good fortune. But judging from the scowl and the blood vessel that was about to burst on Vincent's forehead, not everyone was glad it seemed.

"I don't know where you got all this nerve, Hallow. But I'm getting real tired of your attitude!" Vincent's voice was as loud as ever, blasting Aegis' eardrums with massive decibels.

"First I activate Wandering a Thousand Nights! When I send it to the graveyard I can summon Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris! And for every standby phase that goes by I can also search my deck for an equip card to put into my hand!" Aegis glanced at the glowing luminescent swords surrounding him. More than likely they were to buy Vincent the time he needed.

"Next I activate Quantum Leap!" A large white swirling portal of energy gathered in the center of the dueling field, the artificial winds whipping up and creating a massive gust that blew through Aegis' open trenchcoat furiously.

"I'll pay 2000 life points and then every card on the field is considered to have been there for two more standby phases!" The vortex expanded as Vincent's life points ticked away, the winds approaching hurricane force and the crowd yelling and screaming in the process.

(Vincent: 6000 Aegis: 8000)

After hurling wrappers and some of the bodily possessions of the audience into the air, the wind finally died down and the white vortex dissipated. The card Vincent had played right before also vanished, in its place was Vincent's titan.

"I'll send away Wandering a Thousand Nights now to summon Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris in attack mode! (0/0)" The swordsman appeared in his cracked and battle worn royal blue armor, his long uncut black hair forming into black strands that fell all along his weary face.

"By the effect of Quantum Leap I've tricked my spell card into thinking it was on the field for two turns. Like I said, now I'll be able to add two equip cards from my deck to my hand, and I pick Katana Ying and Katana Yang!" Aegis frowned, his original estimation was incorrect. Vincent didn't need time to bring out his swordsman, he simply wanted to ensure that Aegis couldn't launch into a counterattack immediately.

Vincent pulled his sunglasses down slightly so he could give a sly glance from his crimson eyes, making sure to drink in the frustration on Aegis' face before continuing. "I equip both Katana Ying and Katana Yang to Sonaris. By their effects they'll automatically supply my swordsman with two swordsmanship counters as long as they're equipped. Furthermore my swordsman gains 3000 attack points! (3000/0)"

In both hands a long bladed katana formed. The one in the swordsman's right was a glowing white blade that gave off a white trail of fire. The weapon in his left was a long pitch-black blade that also let off black embers as the sword almost was immaterial in its appearance.

"Weak? Weak?! Don't make me laugh, Hallow! I've spent the last five years surviving on my own! Do you understand the strength my two hands have?! I've crawled and scrapped out my existence, I've protected others from a fate you condemned us too!" Vincent folded his arms together triumphantly, at a moment's notice he could unleash his warrior's full power.

"You're stuck living in the past, Vincent! You've become fixated upon that one event!" Aegis' counterattack struck a nerve in Vincent, his body quaking with rage from the very simple statement. The reaction intrigued Aegis, he had found something that could finally take apart Vincent's assault.

"Stop wasting my time with your semantics, I'll tear you down! I'm discarding another card to give my swordsman another counter and boosting his attack by another thousand points! (4000/0)" Vincent did his best to steer the conversation away from anything that could be detrimental to him. Focus went back to the battle on hand, Vincent's swordsman readying his two blades.

"Go! Fatal Strike! Get rid of this guy already!" The swordsman charged for the angel's head. Both combatants readying, and at the last moment before the two ethereal blades would cleave apart the seraphim, it dodged.

"I'm activating the trap card, Angel Impact – Infinity!" One of the two cards Aegis had prepared lifted off the ground, the red coloration agitating Vincent as if he were a mad bull.

"First your attack is negated. Then you take damage equal to Seraph's attack power!" Aegis' avatar burst forward after sidestepping Vincent's warrior. The angel wound up and just as he closed the distance between himself and Vincent, fired his fist right through Vincent's body, the hologram passing through him easily.

(Vincent: 4300 Aegis: 8000)

Vincent's fisted tightened, his face scowling behind his sunglasses. After a tense moment of loud snarling, he shot his arm forward again. "Swordsman! Attack again! Fatal Strike!" Vincent watched for Aegis to flinch or at least twitch, instead the second charge of his swordsman was greeted by another smile from Aegis.

"If that's the case I'll activate Dimension Wall!" Aegis announced his move with confidence that he never would have imagined having last time he faced Vincent. By not letting the character attacks get under his skin, it seemed like the entire threat that was the painful past was no longer any harm.

A portal opened up between the two monsters, the swordsman's weapons passing through it and ending up sticking through Vincent's torso. Aegis stood firm, he wasn't letting a single attack get through to his life points. On top of that each attack Vincent declared was greeted by failure and backlash, not only with his card plays, but also in the psychological warfare.

(Vincent: 2000 Aegis: 8000)

"Even though I take the damage, your monster is still destroyed, Hallow!" Aegis' defensive portal soon evaporated the two blades that were displaced reappeared on their original course, through Aegis' seraphim. With no more resistance left the angel was ran through by the two blades.

"Seraph the Fallen won't give in that easily!" Aegis pumped his right fist up in the air, clenching the metal fingers together forcibly and creating another metal tang. "It'll take at least two fatal attacks to destroy Seraph, sorry, Vincent!" Aegis' monster sprung back from the injury, kicking the swordsman back to his starting position on Vincent's field.

"I don't rely on the past anymore. Now I understand the lessons it's left for me. Each encounter has shaped me into who I am today. Without the people that have helped me I wouldn't be the man I was today! Can you say the same?!" Aegis' passionate words reflected the nature of his newly burning soul. The heat of his spirit firing up thousands in the stands with its intensity.

"I tribute Sonaris to summon my final monster, Wandering Swordsman – Vagabond! (3000/2000)" The thought was over as soon as it was created. Vincent dismissed the former form of his great warrior, in his place his older self materialized.

Garbed in a massive flowing torn tan cloth that barely covered his massive muscular chest, the Vagabond appeared. His armor was still damaged and remained in strange fragments on his legs and right arm. Aegis recognized the warrior instantly, reminding himself of his ultimate technique which was used to dispose of Aegis last time.

"I end my turn, Hallow." Again, Vincent's voice was quiet, an unknown emotion being conveyed in the tones. For whatever reason, Vincent did not respond to Aegis' question, avoiding it to the best of his ability.

_"Vincent's swordsman could have beaten Seraph next turn, so why did he want to use his Vagabond? Maybe…"_ Aegis dismissed the thought and lifted a card off of his deck. "I'm activating Relic of Sin – Samael's Wing!"

Seraph's six large wings twitched and then all pulled to the right, swirling together into a single massive black feathered wing. Black feathers floated throughout the stadium as Seraph furled and curled his new singular wing. The wing covered the entire right half of the stadium, if it were real it would cast its shadow over a thousand people in their seats as they looked up in awe at the black feathers.

"By the effect of Samael's Wing, Seraph's attack and defence increase by a thousand (2700/2600) and all your monsters lose 100 attack points multiplied by their level! (1800/2000)" The true nature of Seraph's wing revealed itself in the form of the shed black feathers. As each one touched the ground the feather dissolved into purple vapour that hissed like burning acid.

Aegis sighed and lifted his hands up, shaking them dismally. "Since there are still two more turns remaining until I can attack, I'll end my turn." The black box lifted off of Aegis' field once more, Aegis deciding to keep up his act and so he dipped his hand back into Pandora's Box.

"With that, I'll take Relic of Sin – Fenrir's Fang from my deck and place it into my hand." Proudly Aegis augmented his hand with yet another odiously named card. Some in the audience had heard the details of the first duel between the two combatants. In the process rumors of Aegis being a murderer had arisen, the selection of cards that Aegis was using didn't seem to do much to counter such ideas.

"Why are you so proud of living in sin, Hallow?!" Something new and rather unexpected came tumbling out of Vincent's enraged mouth. Aegis' bodily motions halted for a moment, his mind carefully weighing the words. His heart did not feel anything, it was as if it was no different from lead. Still, Aegis took that as a response in itself.

"I'm not. But that's the key." Aegis paused again in his speech, slowly swaying his head from side to side as if he were stretching the ligaments in his neck. "I can live with my sins."

"It's not easy to move on in life. But, when you realize it, then you can start walking again." Vincent looked bored at Aegis' constant lecturing. However Aegis wasn't, neither was his audience. The crowds would remain deathly silent whenever Aegis began to speak, each one of them straining their ears to listen to the storyteller.

"For too long I've given up. I thought I truly was worthless. My languishing soul never once knew the true color of that sky above me." With his words imparted to the masses Aegis went back to fidgeting with his collar. Vincent appeared to be disgruntled over the constant speeches, however there was something else on his face. Aegis couldn't figure out what it was and simply didn't mention it.

"I skip my draw phase to give Vagabond one swordsmanship counter!" Vincent's voice was blatantly upset at that point, his tones would only worsen when he noticed Aegis frown at his move.

"What's wrong with you, Hallow?!" Aegis was blasted by Vincent's robust vocal chords, the man blinking for a moment before his mind pieced itself back together to react.

"I do admire the strength you have alone. But in the end it's still alone. By allowing others to enter your life will you grow and become stronger! However, I'm rather impressed that your entire philosophy reflects itself in how you duel!" The comment hit Vincent with the force of a knife being jabbed into his chest.

"I don't need anyone! Now go already, Hallow!" Aegis did not reply to the challenge, but Seraph did. The gigantic black wing shifted slowly at first before flapping mightily. The stadium mechanics came to life again and pelted Vincent and anyone behind him in the seats with a powerful gust of wind, holographic black feathers .

"After you end your turn, by the effect of Samael's Wing you will take 100 damage times the total level of all monsters on your field. Vagabond is a level twelve monster so the damage will amount to twelve hundred!" The storm of black feathers intensified, the feathers dissolving into purple ooze in mid-flight. It wasn't long before Vincent was besieged by a torrent of the liquid before the storm finally settled.

(Vincent: 800 Aegis: 8000)

"You know, I visited that retirement home you're fighting to keep open." Aegis decided it was time to orchestrate one more twist before ending the story for the day. Vincent straightened up at the mention of his crusade, tossing aside his vendetta to bask in his good deed.

"Have you ever actually _asked_ if they wanted you to fight for them, Vincent?" A crushing blow. In the war of words Aegis had dropped a nuclear warhead overtop of Vincent's headquarters, whipping out any hope for a counterattack. Vincent's eye twitched, his sunglasses tilting at a strange angle with his confused face.

"I-I…" A drop of blood had landed in the water, Aegis could smell it.

"Well I have! And believe it or not, they don't actually want your help!" Aegis' right arm shot out, accusingly pointing at Vincent's shocked face. He was stunned to hear such news, Aegis was more surprised that he never once asked for the opinion of people he fought so fiercely for!

"That place was dangerous to live in! The floorboards could give out at any second, the pipes were leaking all over the place, and even if you kept it open, who wants to live next to a highway?!" The war was already over with the first nuclear warhead, the bombardment at this point was just ensuring Vincent's faction was obliterated forever.

"We both were living in the past. Now I've finally got my life started again, just try and keep up, Vincent!" Aegis slammed the card he had drawn onto the surface of his duel-disk, a monster materializing onto the field.

Standing underneath of Seraph's black wing a mechanical automation was revealed. It stood a bit shorter than Seraph, a purple metal body with golden horn accessories on each shoulder and long teal claws formed itself. On the machine's back was a long barrel that shifted up and down for a moment before pointing straight forward, the weapon at the ready.

"This game is finally over, Vincent. The monster I summoned is named Cannon Soldier! (1400/1300) It's a forgotten card by now, but it gets the job done. Every time I sacrifice a monster I can blast away 500 of your life points. By sacrificing Seraph and Cannon Soldier itself, I'll deal one thousand points of damage to your life points!" Aegis resigned himself from the duel, his focus was gone, it was no longer needed. Instead his body was on fire, the blood in his veins racing through him after being empowered by a heightened sense of self.

Vincent struggled against himself, unsure of how to feel over the situation. He was outraged at how arrogant Aegis was, yet he had only said the truth, each syllable hitting him somewhere close to his heart. Aegis was not even remotely like his former self, he had regained that air of confidence he used to have in television broadcasted duels. For an instant Vincent's anger seemed to fade away.

"I'm getting tired of people thinking they know who I am! So let me make this perfectly clear to you and this world!" Aegis stomped a foot into the metal ground, effectively silencing everyone in the stadium. For a second Aegis couldn't help but grin madly, he truly did have the entire world at his will for that second.

"With the weight of this world's pains in my right, with the hopes of new life in my left, creating a new path towards the future with these hands!" Aegis' angel faded away from the field. The cannon affixed to his mechanical soldier pointed itself at Vincent and let loose a thunderous shot

(Vincent: 300 Aegis: 8000)

"Even if this world is torn apart, the burning of my soul will shatter the heavens themselves!" Aegis smashed his metallic fist together with such strength that sparks flew out of his clasped palm, the metal joints in the gauntlet straining and shattering.

"Know my name, I am AEGIS HALLOW!" It was difficult to determine which was louder, the sound of Vincent's demise by the hands of the stimulated cannon shot, or Aegis' booming voice that bellowed through every corridor of the stadium. The crowd erupted with the energy Aegis fuelled them with, cheering and shouting that escalated into mindless screaming.

(Vincent: 0 Aegis: 8000)

Without a single attack and before the paralyzing swords dissipated, Aegis had been declared the winner. The electronic scoreboard counted Vincent's life points down to zero in a heartbeat, the duelist looking stunned to have lost so easily.

_"I am…Never doing that again."_ Aegis thought to himself amusedly. He had remembered Noah gave dramatic speeches to introduce himself frequently, it was rather strange to find himself doing it once. Aegis was rather embarrassed at doing such a flamboyant act, but it wasn't like he never wanted to try at least once.

Aegis spun around, his open coat wafting in the air as he did so. He raised his right arm to retrieve the cards he had played, setting them back into his deck and allowing the metal blade to retract back into its dormant state. Then he noticed the metal gauntlet over his right hand finally succumbed to his fierce spirit, some of the joints and finger casings dangling freely from the pink flesh underneath.

_"Punched through walls with this, and I break my gauntlet by clenching a fist. Go figure." _Aegis laughed, picking off the damaged pieces and pocketing them to be repaired later. He listened to the world around him, the cheering crowd was something he had forgotten over the years. It wasn't too often he would be able to hear the energy and spirit of a small city around him.

Without a look back, Aegis quietly drifted out of the dueling arena, most likely to meet the media in the lobby. Dealing with Vincent was easier than he had thought, at least, it was easy when the past he used to fear were just mere facts.

_"No more bad memories. I'm done with it all. Look forward and no where else."_

The paparazzi converged on Aegis in hordes to interview him. Aegis didn't expect such a large gathering, even when considering the circumstances. After an hour they seemed to have their full and slowly began to leave the lobby, allowing Aegis to breath freely again.

As the crowds thinned to go interview another aspiring duelist whose match just finished, Aegis found himself straining his eye for a familiar baseball cap. Unfortunately he did not locate Al, just having a few false alarms when he saw some random passer-by with the sports hat on. Feeling a bit disheartened, Aegis propped himself up against a wall in the empty corridor. In some ways it was good to have the silence, it was exhausting to be in the chaos.

Ever since his duel had ended, Aegis enjoyed a blissful stillness in his heart. It felt like his soul became a crystal clear lake, reflecting his inquisitive face back up to him. More than likely the moment would not last, though there were no more demons from the past lurking to get him, Aegis still had to make his way to the finals to win the almighty Millennium Tournament. The childhood dream was becoming a symbolic act to Aegis, his journey would be his return to the world of the living, being a member of society again.

Suddenly something caused a ripple upon the surface of Aegis' soul. The gentle waves of water distorting the reflection and destroying the moment. Aegis turned his head to the right, his instincts telling him something was there. Standing with a faded jean jacket and some jeans was Vincent Vesarius. One hand holding onto his deck, the other with a single card in his fingers.

"You know, if I drew instead, I would have drawn a card named Muramasa." Vincent placed the card back onto his deck, pocketing it silently. He sighed and shut his eyes slowly, moving towards Aegis with both hands in his pocket like a disgraced delinquent.

"If I had used Muramasa, my Vagabond would have gained over 7000 attack points, even the ability to use Crucifixion. I probably could have won easy at that point." Vincent spoke quietly, no anger or bitterness as he explained his fallacy. Finally Vincent stopped within a few feet from Aegis, the man turning to face him with the tip of his porkpie hat covering up his one good eye, the long black hair covering up his other.

"I guess in the end you were right. If I had just…Accept some help I would've beat you." Vincent laughed weakly, his fighting spirit put aside for once. He looked at Aegis' face, though it was barely visible he could tell that Aegis was a master at a solemn gaze. The feeling that ran down Vincent's spine while Aegis' eye pierced his soul made him fidget, compelling him to speak.

"I think…I knew." Vincent's shoulders slumped, his posture slouching for a second.

"When they tore down the apartment my family got moved somewhere else. After that I remember my parents fighting and arguing a lot." Vincent paused to gauge Aegis' reaction. It was slight, but he could tell that Aegis' features were listening intently for the rest of the story.

"Well, after awhile my parents got divorced. Me and all my siblings got shuffled around a lot, our family just never put itself back together. I…Wanted someone to blame I think." Aegis remained silent, the story was heavy, its tones said carefully.

"I didn't have any friends at that time since we all were separated. With my family in pieces I didn't really have anyone to depend on…I thought that it was all your fault that everything happened…" Vincent paused again to catch Aegis as his mouth began to open. He raised his left hand to halt the inevitable words that Aegis would say, his story was not yet done.

"So I spent the last few years thinking I could be stronger than you by myself. But even I sometimes wondered if it was your fault. Even before you came our family was pretty shaky. I guess I just didn't want to pay attention to it then. In the end I just used you as a scapegoat. I think no matter what happened my family would still have split up." The red flame in Vincent's ruby eyes dimmed, the intense fire turning into a dimly lit candle that flickered slowly. Aegis said nothing, he felt that there were no appropriate words, the entire situation became clear to him at that moment.

"You know…I really did look up to you when I was younger…" Vincent decided to keep changing the subject. "I always thought you were so cool, and you seemed like such a nice guy for always helping people with your prize money or something. For me…You really were a superhero." A chuckle came from Vincent. He rubbed the back of his head nervously, aware of how silly he sounded while saying such things at his age.

"So when I finally got to see you again in Spirare…I think I felt betrayed. But not because you didn't show up that day five years ago, I felt like that because you were so broken." Aegis tilted his head in confusion. The words were interpreted, but his mind simply didn't draw the connection.

"I don't know…Just, when I remembered you, you were always so fired up and confident. When I saw you in the mayor's office huddled over and being his lap dog, it just got to me. I thought 'this isn't Aegis Hallow! He's not this weak, he's a lot tougher than this!'" Another pause. Vincent thought for a second before nodding his head, pleased with some thought.

"But I guess now I don't have to worry. It seems you're back again, at least that's what I think after that thorough beating you gave me out there!" Though it was strained, Vincent laughed at his own misfortune. He had hoped it would make Aegis appear somewhat more hospitable, but his lips did not curve up into a smile.

"Funny how life works out sometimes." Aegis spoke lowly, unaware of how his normal voice was grating and rather intimidating, Vincent faltering slightly as a response. Aegis smiled tiredly to try and ease Vincent's concern, suddenly it seemed alright for Aegis to show how tired he truly felt.

"So…No hard feelings?" Aegis nodded his head, Vincent laughing quietly in disbelief. Aegis pulled the hat off of his head, placing it back into his coat methodically.

"I've learned that if I think too hard on things like this, I'll never get a moment's peace." Aegis stretched his arms out, yawning loudly in the process.

"I'm too old to hold grudges and vendettas now. Rather just go sit down somewhere quiet and write." Aegis began to move down the hallway, in the process waving his left hand lazily back and forth. "Though, I also like having company, want some lunch?" The face that greeted Aegis did justice to his first memory of the boy. Eager and bright-eyed, a passionate flame in his eyes that lit his path.


	13. Soul of a Duelist Cards

_Last Updated: January 2, 2008_

**Table of Contents  
**[AMS Aegis Hallow's Machine Soul Deck  
[ILV Iris Lifian's Venom Deck  
[JRI James Raven's Insect Deck  
[NES Noah Ethereal's Spirit Deck  
[VVS Vincent Vesarius' Lone Swordsman Deck

**Aegis Hallow's Machine Soul[AMS  
**_Mass-Produced Soul_

**Seraph the Fallen  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 4 Stars  
Fairy/Effect  
Effect: This card's attribute is also treated as Light; also this card's type is can also be treated as Machine. If this card attacks a face-down Defence Position monster, destroy the monster immediately with this card's effect without flipping it face-up or applying damage calculation. Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed. This card can attack twice during the same battle phase.  
Attack: 1700 Defence: 1600

**Cleansed Soul - Seraph  
**Attribute: Light  
Level: 4 Stars  
Fairy/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card's name is treated as "Seraph the Fallen". This card cannot be Special Summoned except with "Infuse Soul". This card's attribute is also treated as Dark; also this card's type can also be treated as Machine. Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed. Any monster that this card attacks is removed from the game after Damage Calculation. If a monster is sent out of play by this effect, gain life points equal to the Attack or Defence of the destroyed monster. This card can attack an additional time for every 5 cards removed from the game. During your third End Phase after summoning this card, return it to the Fusion Deck and Special Summon a monster with the same name as this card from your graveyard to the field. Then place "Infuse Soul" from your graveyard to your hand.  
Attack: 2200 Defence: 1800

**Seraph the Tormented  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 10 Stars  
Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
"Seraph the Fallen" "XI-5 – Kiris" 2 Machine-type Union Monsters  
Effect: This card's type is also treated as Machine. This card can only be Special Summoned from your Fusion Deck by removing from play the above cards from your graveyard from the game. During the turn this card is summoned it cannot be destroyed by the effects of Spells, Traps, and Effect Monsters, and its effect cannot be negated. If this card destroys a monster as a result of battle, this card loses 500 Attack points and can attack again. At the end of the turn that this card is summoned, reduce the Attack and Defence of this card to 0.  
Attack: 1700 Defence: 0

**Torment  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
"Seraph the Tormented"  
Effect: This card's type is also treated as Machine. This card can only be Special Summoned from your Fusion Deck by removing from play the above cards from your side of the field or graveyard from the game and by paying half of your life points. This card can be summoned during your opponent's turn. This card cannot be destroyed by battle. When this card battles, any Battle Damage the controller would take is reduced to 0. This card's Attack or Defence then increases by an amount equal to the negated Battle Damage. During your Main Phase you can decrease this card's Attack and Defence, inflict Direct Damage to your opponent equal to amount.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Shattered Soul – Anguish  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card's name is also treated as "Torment". This card can only be Special Summoned by "Infuse Soul". This card is not destroyed by battle. If this card attacks an opponent's monster destroy that monster after the Damage Calculation. Battle Damage to the controller of this card as a result of this card battling becomes 0. Increase this card's Attack or Defence by an amount equal to the Attack or Defence of a monster destroyed by this effect. During your Main Phase you can decrease this card's Attack or Defence by any amount to inflict Direct Damage to your opponent's Life Points. During your third End Phase after summoning this card, return it to the Fusion Deck and Special Summon a monster with the same name as this card from your graveyard to the field. Then place "Infuse Soul" from your graveyard to your hand.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Automated Soul  
**Attribute: Wind  
Level: 3 Stars  
Machine/Union/Effect  
Effect: Once per turn during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to a face-up Machine-Type monster on your side of the field as an Equip Spell Card or unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. If you control 1 Machine-Type monster you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If the monster this card is equipped to deals Battle Damage to the opponent, increase your Life Points by an amount equal to the damage. (One monster can only be equipped with one Union Monster at a time. If the monster that this card is equipped to is destroyed, this card is destroyed instead.)  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Mechanized Heart  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 2 Stars  
Machine/Union/Effect  
Effect: Once per turn during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to a face-up Machine-Type monster on your side of the field as an Equip Spell Card or unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. If you control 1 Machine-Type monster you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If the monster this card is equipped to attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. (One monster can only be equipped with one Union Monster at a time. If the monster that this card is equipped to is destroyed, this card is destroyed instead.)  
Attack: 100 Defence: 100

**Electric Tears  
**Attribute: Water  
Level: 1 Star  
Machine/Union/Effect  
Effect: Once per turn during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to a face-up Machine-Type monster on your side of the field as an Equip Spell Card or unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. If you control 1 Machine-Type monster you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If a monster on your side of the field is selected as an attack target you can switch the target to the monster this card is equipped with. (One monster can only be equipped with one Union Monster at a time. If the monster that this card is equipped to is destroyed, this card is destroyed instead.)  
Attack: 200 Defence: 0

**XI-5 – Kiris  
**Attribute: Fire  
Level: 8 Stars  
Machine/Effect  
Effect: This card cannot be destroyed by battle. This card can have more than one Union Monster equipped to it at a time. When this card attacks, after Damage Calculation you can select 1 Machine-type Union monster from your deck or graveyard and equip it to this card as an Equip Spell Card. You can send all Union monsters equipped to this card to the graveyard, then this monster's effect becomes the effect equal to the number of Union monsters sent to the graveyard.  
1 : This card's original attack and defence is equal to the number of Union monsters sent to the graveyard times by 600.  
3 : When this card destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard as a result of battle, inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the attack of the destroyed monster.  
5: This card can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. If this card is destroyed, you can add 1 Spell Card from your deck or graveyard to your hand.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Machine Angel  
**Attribute: Earth  
Level: 4 Stars  
Fairy/Effect  
Effect: This card's type is also treated as Machine. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, you can select and activate 1 of the following effects:  
•Increase your Life Points by an amount equal to the damage dealt.  
•Special Summon 1 "Machine Angel" from your hand, deck or graveyard. The monster summoned by this effect cannot declare an attack this turn.  
Attack: 1800 Defence: 1800

**Virtue  
**Attribute: Light  
Level: 6 Stars  
Fairy/Fusion/Effect  
"Machine Angel" "Machine Angel"  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play the above fusion monsters from your field or graveyard from the game. When this monster battles with an opponent's monster, negate the effect of that opponent's monster during the Battle Phase. Monsters that this card destroys in battle have their effects negated.  
Attack: 2300 Defence: 2300

**Valkyrie Module  
**Attribute: Wind  
Level: 6 Stars  
Machine/Effect  
Effect: You can only have 1 "Valkyrie Module" monster on your side of the field. While you control a face-up Machine-type monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If your Life Points are lower than your opponent's than this card's original attack becomes 3000. Once during the duel, if this card is destroyed while it is in a Monster Card Zone, you can place it face-up in your Spell/Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card, instead of sending it to the Graveyard. During an End Phase when this card is in your Spell/Trap Card Zone you can pay 1000 life points to Special Summon this monster to the field, this card's attack points are cut in half until your next Standby Phase (1500 if your life points are lower than your opponent's).  
Attack: 2000 Defence: 1600

**Dragon Module  
**Attribute: Earth  
Level: 4 Stars  
Machine/Effect  
Effect: Once per turn if this card would be destroyed during either player's Battle Phase, it is not destroyed. When this card attacks, it gains attack equal to half the attack of the attack target, during the Damage Calculation only.  
Attack: 1800 Defence: 1200

**Chimera Module  
**Attribute: Light  
Level: 7 Stars  
Machine/Effect  
Effect: You can only have 1 "Chimera Module" monster on your side of the field. While you control 3 or more face-up Machine-type monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. This monster gains the following abilities while there are monsters with the following Attributes on the field (Not including this monster):  
•Light: When this monster attacks with an attack that is higher than the defence of a Defence Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.  
•Dark: When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict Direct Damage to your opponent equal to either the attack or defence of the destroyed monster, whichever is higher.  
•Earth: Negate the effects of Effect Monsters destroyed by this card as a result of battle.  
•Wind: This card can attack twice during the same battle phase.  
•Fire: Increase the attack of this card by 1000 points.  
•Water: Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed.  
Attack: 2200 Defence: 2000

**Spirit of the Betrayer  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 10 Stars  
Warrior/Spirit/Effect  
Effect: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Special Summoned by tributing 3 monsters on your side of the field. If this card is summoned or set without tributing 3 monsters send this card to the graveyard immediately. This card is removed from the game during the End Phase of the turn that it is Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. This card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If your Life Points are lower than your Opponent's Life Points, then increase this card's Attack and Defence points by an amount equal to the difference. When this card attacks with an Attack that is higher than the Defence of a Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card attacks inflict Battle Damage equal to this card's current attack to any monster cards adjacent to the attacked monster. When this card is removed from the game by its own effect, all set cards are sent to the graveyard, any face-up cards have their effects negated and face-up monsters cannot change their battle position, be used for a tribute or declare an attack.  
Attack: 2900 Defence: 2500

**Extract Soul  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: All Battle Damage caused by monsters you control is added to your life points.

**Heaven's Descent  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Activate when there are at least 10 cards removed from play. Return all cards that are removed from the game back to the owner's deck. Then select and activate one of the following effects:  
•Draw 2 cards  
•Gain 100 life points for each card returned by this effect

**Angel Impact – Final Destiny  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be activated if there is a face-up "Seraph the Fallen" monster on your side of the field or a fusion monster that lists "Seraph the Fallen" as fusion material. Destroy all monsters on your opponent's side of the field. This card must be activated at the start of Main Phase 1, after this card's effect resolves, it is now the End Phase.

**Angel Impact – Destiny's End  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be activated if there is a face-up "Seraph the Fallen" monster on your side of the field or a fusion monster that lists "Seraph the Fallen" as fusion material. Send the top 5 cards on your deck out of play and remove 5 cards from your graveyard from play. Remove from play all cards on your opponent's side of the field and in both players' hands. After this card's effect resolves, it is now the End Phase.

**Infuse Soul  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Tribute one Machine-type monster on your side of the field, Special Summon one monster from your Fusion Deck with the same name as the sacrificed monster. This card's activation and effect cannot be negated. The monster summoned by this card's effect cannot be destroyed or removed from the field until the end of the turn. Once during the duel if this card is in your graveyard and the monster you summoned by this card's effect is on your side of the field, then during your Main Phase you can return the summoned monster to the Fusion Deck. Then gain life points equal to the attack of the returned monster and place this card from your graveyard in your hand.

**Pandora's Box  
**Type: Continuous Spell Card  
Effect: During each of your End Phases you can add 1card with "Relic of Sin" in its name from your deck or graveyard to your hand. Once during the duel, when this card is in your graveyard you can remove from play 5 Dark attribute monsters, 5 cards with "Relic of Sin" in their names and "Pandora's Box" to Special Summon "Last Light – The Unyielding Soul" from your Fusion Deck.

**Relic of Sin - Samael's Wing**  
Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be equipped to "Seraph the Fallen" or a Fusion monster that lists "Seraph the Fallen" as Fusion Material. Increase the monster's attack and defence points by 1000. Decrease the attack of all monsters on your opponent's side of the field by 100 times their level. At the End Phase of your opponent's turn inflict Direct Damage equal to 100 times the total level of all monsters your opponent controls.

**Machine Soul Resonance  
**Type: Trap Card  
Effect: Tribute 1 monster on your side of the field and Special Summon 1 "XI-5 – Kiris" from your hand, deck or graveyard. The monster sacrificed to activate this card is Special Summoned during your second Standby Phase after this card is activated. If the monster you sacrificed was a Machine-type monster, then you can Special Summon 1 Machine-type Union monster from your deck during your second Standby Phase after this card is activated.

**Machine Soul Sacrifice  
**Type: Trap Card  
Effect: Tribute 1 "XI-5 – Kiris" on your side of the field. All monsters on your side of the field cannot be destroyed by the effects of Spell, Trap or Monster Effects during this turn. Your life points are unaffected by Battle Damage or Direct Damage during this turn.

**Angel Impact – Infinity  
**Type: Counter Trap Card  
Effect: Activate only when your opponent declares an attack and while you control "Seraph the Fallen" or a Fusion monster that lists "Seraph the Fallen" as Fusion Material. Negate the attack and inflict Direct Damage equal to the total attack of all "Seraph the Fallen" or all Fusion monsters that lists "Seraph the Fallen" as Fusion Material on your field or in your graveyard to your opponent's Life Points.

**Iris Lifian's Venom Deck [ILV  
**_Snakes on a Plane_

**Venom Snakelet  
**Attribute: Earth  
Level: 2 Stars  
Reptile/Effect  
Effect: Once during either player's turn if this card is in the graveyard you can pay 500 Life Points to Special Summon this card to the field. If this card is summoned by this effect you can place 1 Venom Counter onto a face-up monster your opponent controls. If this monster is summoned this way it can only be used as a tribute for Tribute Summoning Reptile-type monsters.  
Attack: 100 Defence: 0

**Venom Hydra  
**Attribute: Water  
Level: 4 Stars  
Reptile/Effect  
Effect: When this monster attacks a monster controlled by the Opponent, if that monster would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed. When this monster battles after the Damage Calculation place Venom Counters onto face-up monsters on your opponent's side of the field equal to the level of the monster that this card battled with.  
Attack: 1900 Defence: 0

**Venom Basilisk  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 4 Stars  
Reptile/Effect  
Effect: If this card attacks a face-down Defense Position monster, destroy the monster immediately with this card's effect without flipping it face-up or applying damage calculation. Once per turn you can remove 3 Venom Counters from a monster card to flip it into face-down Defense Position. If this card battles with a Winged-Beast type monster, destroy this card immediately.  
Attack: 1700 Defence: 1000

**Venom Blast  
**Type: Quick-Play Spell Card  
Effect: Discard 1 card from your hand to destroy 1 card on the field. If the card you discard was a Reptile-type monster then place Venom Counters onto face-up monsters on your opponent's side of the field equal to the level of the discarded monster. If the card you destroyed by this effect was also a Reptile-type monster card on your side of the field, place Venom Counters onto face-up monsters on your opponent's side of the field equal to the level of the destroyed monster.

**Venom Rebirth  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Remove 1 Venom Counter from an opponent monster to Special Summon 1 Reptile-type monster from your Graveyard. Inflict 800 points of Direct Damage to the Opponent.

**Cross Poisoning  
**Type: Trap Card  
Effect: Whenever you take Battle Damage inflict the same amount of damage to your Opponent. If there are monsters on your opponent's side of the field with Venom Counters on them you can remove 3 counters to double the damage your Opponent would take.

**James Raven's Insect Deck [JHI  
**_A Four-Ton Mantis_

**Megaton Mantis Shrimp  
**Attribute: Water  
Level: 8 Stars  
Insect/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by tributing 3 Insect-Type monsters on your side of the field. When this card attacks, you can change the battle position of the attacked monster. (Flip Effects are not activated at this time.) When this card attacks with an Attack that is higher than the Defence of a Defence Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. This card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. Once per turn you can inflict 1500 points of Direct Damage to your opponent's life points.  
Attack: 2900 Defence: 2500

**Cathedral Hive  
**Type: Continuous Spell Card  
Effect: During either player's turn you can Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower Insect-type monster in face-up Attack Position or face-down Defence Position from your hand or deck. Monsters summoned by this effect cannot declare an attack and can only be used as tributes for tribute summoning Insect-type monsters.

**Sacrificial Drones  
**Type: Continuous Trap Card  
Effect: Once per turn if a monster on your side of the field is declared an attack target you can change the attack target to a level 3 or lower Insect monster on your side of the field.

**Noah Ethereal's Spirit Deck [NES  
**_Making the ethereal deliver metaphysical pain_

**Heroic Spirit Freya  
**Attribute: Light  
Level: 6 Stars  
Warrior/Spirit/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned if you control 1 or more Spirit-Type Monsters. This card returns to the owner's hand during the End Phase of the turn that it is Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. When this card attacks with an Attack that is higher than the Defence of a Defence Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.  
Attack: 2300 Defence: 0

**The White Lady  
**Attribute: Wind  
Level: 4 Stars  
Spellcaster/Spirit/Effect  
Effect: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card returns to the owner's hand during the End Phase of the turn that it is Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. When this card attacks, decrease the Attack or Defence of the opposing monster by 500 points. When this card deals Battle Damage to the opponent, gain Life Points equal to the amount of damage inflicted.  
Attack: 1800 Defence: 400

**Poltergeist  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 2 Stars  
Fiend/Spirit/Effect  
Effect: This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card is successfully summoned, switch the positions of all face-up monsters on the field. Spirit-Type monsters do not have to return to their owner's hand during the End Phase of the turn that they are Normal Summoned or flipped face-up.  
Attack: 300 Defense: 0

**Orpheus  
**Attribute: Wind  
Level: 4 Stars  
Spellcaster/Effect  
Effect: This card's type is also treated as Machine. Once during your Main Phase you can select and activate one of the following effects:  
• Destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. If you activate this effect this card cannot declare an attack.  
• Once per turn you can pay half of your Life Points to switch control of one face-up monster on your opponent's side of the field until the End Phase of turn this effect is activated. The monster selected for this effect cannot declare an attack this turn.  
Attack: 1900 Defence: 1600

**Occult Cultist  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 4 Stars  
Spellcaster/Effect  
Effect: When this card is summoned successfully you can activate one of the following effects:  
• Add 1 Spirit-type monster from your deck or graveyard to your hand.  
• Add 1 "Sacred Burial Grounds" from your deck or graveyard to your hand.  
Attack: 1500 Defence: 1800

**Spirit Caller  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 4 Stars  
Spellcaster/Effect  
Effect: When this card attacks with an attack that is higher than the defence of a Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, draw 1 card from your Deck, if that card is a Spirit-type monster reveal it to the opponent and negate any summoning restrictions to Special Summon that card to the field (during this turn the monster summoned by this effect is not returned to the owner's hand, but is returned during the End Phase of the next turn)  
Attack: 1800 Defence: 0

**The Head of Orpheus  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Mourning Nightingales". During each player's End Phase you can Special Summon 1 monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" from your Fusion Deck to the field. This card gains 700 attack points for every monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name on your side of the field. This card cannot be destroyed in battle. Once per turn, if a monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" on your side of the field is declared an attack target, you can change the target to this card instead.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Remnant of Orpheus – Bloody Left Hand  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "The Head of Orpheus". This card gains 200 attack points for every monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name or is named "The Head of Orpheus". If you control "The Head of Orpheus" and it destroys a monster as a result of battle, inflict Direct Damage equal to 100 times the level of the destroyed monster to your opponent's Life Points, then increase your Life Points by an amount equal to the destroyed monster's level times by 100.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Remnant of Orpheus – Mutilated Right Arm  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "The Head of Orpheus". This card gains 200 attack points for every monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name or is named "The Head of Orpheus". If you control "The Head of Orpheus" and it is used to declare an attack, you can destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the opponent's side of the field before Damage Calculation.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Remnant of Orpheus – Dismembered Body  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "The Head of Orpheus". This card gains 200 attack points for every monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name or is named "The Head of Orpheus". Once per turn if a monster/s with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name or is named "The Head of Orpheus" would be destroyed by a card effect or by battle, you can prevent its destruction.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Remnant of Orpheus – Severed Legs  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 1 Star  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "The Head of Orpheus". This card gains 200 attack points for every monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name or is named "The Head of Orpheus". If you control "The Head of Orpheus" then it can attack twice in the same Battle Phase.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 12 Stars  
Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card's name is treated as "The Head of Orpheus". This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of "Mourning Nightingales". When this card is summoned equip this card with "Orpheus' Lyre" from your hand, deck or graveyard. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect or by battle, prevent its destruction and Special Summon 1 monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" that has been removed from play to your side of the field (negate any summoning conditions) (this effect only be activated 4 times). If a monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" in its name is declared an attack target, you can change this card to be the target instead. If there are 4 different monsters with "Remnant of Orpheus" in their name on your side of the field then this card's original attack points become 10 000.  
Attack: 2000 Defence: 2000

**Orpheus' Lyre  
**Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be played by the effect of "Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares". Once per turn you can Special Summon a monster from either player's graveyard to your side of the field. The monster summoned by this effect has its effect negated and is treated as being Dark attribute and a Zombie-Type monster. The attack and defence of the summoned monster is cut in half. Monsters summoned by this effect can be removed from play to Special Summon 1 monster with "Remnant of Orpheus" that has been removed from play to your side of the field (negate any summoning conditions or restrictions). This card's effect cannot be negated, nor can it be removed from the field if it is equipped to "Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares".

**Storm of Souls  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Remove from play any number of Spirit-Type Monsters. Select 1 face-up monster you control, the selected monster gains 400 Attack points times the number of monsters that were removed from play. Then destroy up to the same number of cards on the field as the number of monsters you removed.

**Celestial Summoning  
**Type: Quick-Play Spell Card  
Effect: Negate the summoning restrictions and Special Summon as many Spirit-Type monsters that have been removed from the game to your side of the field. You cannot summon during this turn.

**Sacred Burial Grounds  
**Type: Field Spell Card  
Effect: Whenever a Spirit-type monster returns from the field to its owner's hand, you may Special Summon a Headstone Token (Earth/Rock/Level 1/Attack 0/Defence 0) to your side of the field. Headstone Tokens can only be tributed for tribute summoning or setting Spirit-Type monsters. This card gains effects equal to the number of Headstone Tokens on the field:  
1 : This card cannot be destroyed by a card effect. Any Field Spell Cards played by your opponent while this card is face-up are immediately sent to the graveyard.  
2 : Spirit-Type monsters do not return to the owner's hand at the End Phase of the turn that they are summoned or flipped face-up. Once per turn during your Main Phase you can return a Spirit-Type monster on your side of the field to your hand.  
3 : By tributing a Headstone Token you can put one Spirit-Type monster in your graveyard into your hand  
4 : By tributing two Headstone Tokens you can negate any summoning restrictions and Special Summon a Spirit-Type monster from your hand.  
5 : By tributing three Headstone Tokens during your Main Phase, your opponent must skip their next Draw Phase.

**Light from Beyond  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Discard a Spirit-Type monster from your hand to the graveyard. Select 1 face-up Spirit-type monster you control, during this turn only, the selected monster can attack the Opponent's Life Points directly.

**Binding Ritual  
**Type: Equipment Spell Card  
Effect: Negate any summoning restrictions and Special Summon 1 Spirit-type monster from your hand or graveyard and equip it with this card. The monster this card is equipped to does not return to the owner's hand during the End Phase of the turn it was summoned. If this card is removed from the field the monster it was equipped to must immediately return to the owner's hand.

**Spirit's Gift  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Send 1 Spirit-type monster from your deck to the graveyard. Then draw 2 cards from your deck.

**Spirit Calling  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Send 1 Spirit-type monster from your hand to the graveyard. Then Special Summon a monster from your graveyard.

**Spirit Light  
**Type: Quick-play Spell Card  
Effect: Discard one Spirit-type monster from your hand to the graveyard. Select one monster on your side of the field and increase that monster's attack points by an amount equal to the attack points of the discarded monster until the End Phase of the turn this card is activated.

**Echoing Banishment  
**Type: Continuous Trap Card  
Effect: Activate only during a Main Phase. Select 1 face-up monster you opponent controls and remove it from the game. After activation this card is Special Summoned into an open Monster Zone and is treated as a Monster with the same attribute, type, level, and Attack and Defence points as the monster that was removed. If the monster that was removed was an Effect Monster this card also gains that monster's effect (if it was a flip effect monster activate the effect immediately). If this card is removed from the field, return the monster that was removed from play. (This card is also treated as a trap card).

**Grave Marking  
**Type: Trap Card  
Effect: Special Summon Grave Marker Tokens (Rock-Type/Earth/Level 1/Attack: 1000/Defence: 1000) in Defense Position equal to the number of Spirit-Type monsters in your graveyard. Grave Marker Tokens cannot be used for a Tribute for a Tribute Summon or Set or declare an attack. Destroy all Grave Marker Tokens at the End Phase of the turn this card was activated.

**Mourning Nightingales  
**Type: Trap Card  
Effect: This card can only be activated when an "Orpheus" that you control is destroyed by a card effect or in battle. After any effects resolve, send all cards in your hand to the graveyard and Special Summon "The Head of Orpheus" from your Fusion Deck in attack mode. When this card is in your graveyard and you have "The Head of Orpheus" and 4 "Remnant of Orpheus" monsters with different names in your graveyard, you can remove all monsters with Orpheus in their name and this card from the game to Special Summon "Orpheus – Maestro of Nightmares" from your Fusion Deck.

**Endless Night  
**Type: Continuous Trap Card  
Effect: If your life points reach 0 during your opponent's turn, it is now the End Phase of the turn (you do not lose the duel). You skip your next Draw and Standby Phase. During your next Main Phase you must summon 1 monster, if not you lose the duel. When you summon a monster send this card to the graveyard. As long as the monster that was summoned remains on the field you do not lose the duel. If this card is removed from the field before you summon a monster you lose the duel.

**Death  
**Attribute: Dark  
Level: 12 Stars.  
Fiend/Fusion/Effect  
Spellcaster-type Monster 5 Spirit-type Monsters  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned when you control "Endless Night". You must remove the above cards from your side of the field or graveyard from the game. When this card is summoned send all cards on your side of the field and hand to the graveyard. This card cannot be destroyed by battle. Any Battle Damage that you would receive from a battle involving this monster is inflicted to your opponent instead. If this card battles with an opponent's monster, at the end of the damage step, inflict damage equal to the Attack of the opponent's monster to your opponent's Life Points, and destroy that monster. If this card attacks your Opponent's Life Points directly inflict Battle Damage equal to the number of cards in both graveyards times by 400. If this card attacks, during the End Phase of the turn place 1 Soul Reaping Counter on this card. When 3 Soul Reaping Counters are on this card the controller of this card wins the duel.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 0

**Vincent Vesarius' Lone Swordsman Deck [VVS  
**_How to use a Two-Ton Sword_

**Wandering Swordsman - Sonaris  
**Attribute: Earth  
Level: 10 Stars  
Warrior/Effect  
Effect: Once per turn by discarding one card from your hand you can place one Swordsmanship Counter onto this card (Max 3). This card's Original Attack is 1000 times the number of Swordsmanship Counters on this card. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect or by battle, you can remove 1 Swordsmanship Counter and this card will not be destroyed. This card gains the following effects equal to the number of Swordsmanship Counters on it:  
1 When this card attacks with an attack that is higher than the defence of a Defence Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.  
2 Negate the effects of monsters this card destroys in battle.  
3 Once per turn if this card would be destroyed, it is not destroyed.  
Attack: 0 Defence: 2000

**Wandering Swordsman - Vagabond  
**Attribute: Earth  
Level: 12 Stars  
Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
Effect: This card can only be Special Summoned by tributing "Wandering Swordsman - Sonaris" with 3 Swordsmanship Counters on it. This card is not destroyed by Battle and control of this card cannot change. As long as this card is face-up on the field you cannot summon or set any monster cards. By skipping your Draw Phase you can place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on this card (Max 4). For every 2 Swordsmanship Counters on this card, this card can attack 1 additional time. If this card would be destroyed by a card effect, you can remove 1 Swordsmanship Counter instead, and this card will not be destroyed. This card gains the following effects equal to the number of Swordsmanship Counters on it:  
1 When this card attacks with an attack that is higher than the defence of a Defence Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.  
2 Negate the effects of monsters this card destroys in battle.  
3 Once per turn if this card would be destroyed, it is not destroyed.  
4 Send all cards in your hand to the graveyard and remove all Swordsmanship Counters from this card. Destroy all cards on the opponent's side of the field and inflict Direct Damage to their Life Points equal to the current attack of this card. This card cannot declare attack this turn.  
Attack: 3000 Defence: 2000

**Vagabond Cloak  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Pay 2000 Life Points. Equip to a face-up "Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris" on your side of the field. The equipped monster gains 3 Swordsmanship Counters. You cannot declare an attack during this turn.

**Solitary Swordsman  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Send all monsters on control to the graveyard. Special Summon 1 Warrior-Type monster from your hand or deck. All unoccupied Monster Card Zones on your side of the field cannot be used as long as the monster summoned by this effect is face-up on the field.

**Murumasa  
**Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be equipped to "Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris" or "Wandering Swordsman – Vagabond". If your life points are lower than your opponent's life points, subtract your current life point total from your opponent's life points. For every 1000 points of difference, place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on the equipped monster. If your life points are lower than your opponent's, the equipped monster then gains attack points equal to the difference.

**Katana Ying  
**Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be equipped to a face-up "Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris" on your side of the field. Once per turn if there are no Swordsmanship Counters on the equipped monster, place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on the equipped monster. Once per turn if the equipped monster is also equipped with "Katana Yang" and has less than 2 Swordsmanship Counters on the card, place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on the equipped monster. The equipped monster gains 500 attack points and can attack twice in the same Battle Phase.

**Katana Yang  
**Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be equipped to a face-up "Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris" on your side of the field. Once per turn if there are no Swordsmanship Counters on the equipped monster, place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on the equipped monster. Once per turn if the equipped monster is also equipped with "Katana Ying" and has less than 2 Swordsmanship Counters on the card, place 1 Swordsmanship Counter on the equipped monster. The equipped monster gains 500 attack points. If the equipped monster attacks your Opponent's life points directly, reduce the Battle Damage they would receive to 0 and randomly discard 1 card in your Opponent's hand for every 1000 points of damage they would have taken.

**Crossbearer Blade  
**Type: Equip Spell Card  
Effect: This card can only be equipped to a face-up "Wandering Swordsman – Vagabond" on your side of the field. The equipped monster gains an additional Swordsmanship Counter each time you skip your Draw Phase. The equipped monster gains 1500 attack points. When the equipped monster attacks a monster card you can inflict Battle Damage equal to the current attack of the equipped monster to any monster cards adjacent to the targeted monster. This card's effect cannot be negated and it cannot be removed from the field if "Wandering Swordsman – Vagabond" is face-up on your side of the field.

**Armory  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Select 1 Equip Spell Card that you control and 1 Equip Spell Card in your graveyard. Remove both cards from the game and then draw 3 cards.

**Quantum Leap  
**Type: Spell Card  
Effect: Pay life points in intervals of 1000 to activate this card. For every 1000 life points paid, all cards on the field are considered to have been on the field for an additional number of Standby Phases equal to the number of 1000 life point intervals paid to activate this card.

**Wandering a Thousand Nights  
**Type: Continuous Spell Card  
Effect: Send this card to the graveyard to Special Summon 1 "Wandering Swordsman – Sonaris". Equip 1 Equip Spell Card from your hand or deck to the monster summoned by this effect for every one of your Standby Phases that have passed after this card's activation.


End file.
